The Los Angeles Dodgers were without Yasiel Puig for about a month and a half earlier in the season due to a strained left hamstring. A similar injury is now affecting him again while the starting rotation continues to struggle.
Puig is set to undergo an MRI on Wednesday morning, according to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The 24-year-old left last night's game against the Oakland Athletics in the eighth inning after experiencing tightness in his right hamstring.
Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register said the preliminary word from the Dodgers last night was "right hamstring tightness."
.@YasielPuig hustles down the line to beat the throw, but appears to have injured himself. He'll be replaced by Carl Crawford. Two down.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 19, 2015
Puig told Saxon that this injury is "a little bit better than the last one," which indicates he could miss a decent chunk of time. There will be more on Puig as the day progresses.
Another problem that has affected the Dodgers for much of the year stems from their starting rotation. Beyond Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke they haven't really had a reliable starter and they attempted to address that void at the trade deadline.
One of their acquisitions - Mat Latos of the Miami Marlins - was already demoted to the bullpen on Tuesday after going 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in three starts (14 2/3 innings) with the Dodgers. While the move sounds drastic, it's more so strategic.
"The Dodgers are able to make the change because they are in a stretch of games in which they have three off days in eight days," Saxon added. "They can use Kershaw and Greinke to pitch seven of their next 14 games without sending either pitcher to the mound on short rest."
Manager Don Mattingly spoke of the move before last night's game.
"To be 100 percent honest, it's all about getting Zack and Clayton lined up and maximizing these off days and not making them wait six days to pitch and things like that," he said.
Latos will likely return to the rotation on Aug. 29 because they'll need a fifth starter by that time, Saxon noted. The Dodgers will roll with Brett Anderson and fellow trade deadline acquisition Alex Wood in their four-man rotation.
Stay tuned for updates on Puig and Latos in the near future.
