Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After a 1-game absence due to a hip flexor injury, Yasiel Puig returns to the Dodgers’ lineup. Aside from Chone Figgins, the other eight hitters in the Dodgers’ starting lineup are right-handed — that must mean the Dodgers are facing a lefty.
Tony Cingrani is on the mound for the Reds. He’s given up at least three runs in five consecutive starts. For a team that struggles against lefties as much as the Dodgers do (.208/.284/.345), this should be welcome news.
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Dodgers
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Reds
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4:10pm PT
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Cincinnati, OH
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2B
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Figgins
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CF
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Hamilton
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SS
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Ramirez
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3B
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Frazier
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RF
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Puig
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2B
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Phillips
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LF
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Kemp
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RF
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Bruce
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CF
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Van Slyke
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LF
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Ludwick
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3B
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Turner
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C
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Pena
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1B
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Romak
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SS
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Cozart
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C
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Federowicz
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1B
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Lutz
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P
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Haren (R)
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P
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Cingrani (L)
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Andre Ethier is out of the lineup for second day in a row, and Adrian Gonzalez is getting a much-needed day off against southpaws. Gonzalez has a putrid .164/.244/.233 triple slash against them. He’s always been at least respectable against them, but not this season. Also, Dee Gordon is out after suffering an injury on Saturday. If a right-handed pitcher were on the hill, he might have been in the lineup. I’m sure there will be an update on his condition tomorrow.
Here’s hoping Dan Haren can keep the ball in the yard tonight — something he hasn’t done in his last five starts (eight home runs allowed total). He allowed just two home runs in his first seven games this season.
Injury updates
Courtesy of Bill Shaikin, of the Los Angeles Times.
Carl Crawford says he does not have full strength back in his ankle. It’s unlikely he’ll be ready Thursday, when he can be activated.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) June 9, 2014
A.J. Ellis says he hopes to be activated this week, without a minor league rehab assignment. #Dodgers — Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) June 9, 2014
Good to see Ellis getting healthy. Crawford’s ankle injury looked so bad, it would have been a miracle if he had been ready to go after just 15 days.
Draft signings
The Dodgers have reportedly agreed to contracts with two of their draft picks from last week’s draft. Second-rounder Alex Verdugo (OF) and sixth-rounder Jared Walker (3B/OF) — both high schoolers — have agreed to sign for slot. The draft signings should begin to roll in later this week and early next week. I wouldn’t expect first-rounder Grant Holmes to sign soon because, looking at the Dodgers’ draft strategy, it’s going take an over-slot deal to get him signed. That’s fine, as he should be worth it.
