Is Yasiel Puig’s Hamstring Becoming an Issue?

Yasiel Puig was out of the lineup again during the Dodger’s 7-0 win over Colorado on Sunday afternoon. Andre Ethier played in right field, and Scott Van Slyke was in left. Puig has been nursing a sore hamstring since late o Monday night. He injured it sometime during the seventh inning of that game, but stayed in and played all ten frames.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Puig sat for three days before he was placed back into the lineup on Saturday evening. Puig was seen noticeably limping throughout the game. He was unable to go from first to third on a hit, but was still able to get two hits and a walk in that contest.

Don Mattingly has been talking to medical director Stan Conte about Puig’s status, and a disabled list stint is beginning to look more and more likely. Although Mattingly and the medical staff still feel that Puig’s hamstring injury is not severe enough to warrant a DL trip.

The Dodgers are off on Monday, and then begin a three game series against the Giants on Tuesday night. The club is hoping that with the day he got on Sunday, and the scheduled day off on Monday that Puig might be able to play in Tuesday’s series opener against the Giants. It will depend on how he feels that afternoon, and if he is able to get loose.

Mattingly has expressed his opinion that if the club does have to put Puig on the disabled list for a couple of weeks, that it is ok. The reasoning is that the season is very young, and the club has been hitting very well even with him out of the lineup. Plus the impressive play of Andre Ethier, and Scott Van Slyke gives the Dodgers some flexibility.

Live Feed

Call to the Pen

Ken Gurnick asked Mattingly about the situation, and he had this to say…..

“To be honest, if they say DL, I’m fine with it,” he said. “I like the way Andre is playing. I’m not pushing to get Yasiel in the lineup. We’ve got guys in Triple-A swinging the bat. If medical says DL, it’s DL.”

While it is not the end of the world if Puig has to go on the disabled list, it is still of course very annoying. It seems like whenever the Dodgers have injuries, multiple players go down at the same time with the same exact injuries. For example last year when multiple Dodgers went down with hip injuries around the same time. Does this point to an issue with the medical staff? Or perhaps with players not warming up correctly, or getting loose before games. Or perhaps it is just general rustiness? That is a discussion for another day.

In the meantime the Dodgers were playing shorthanded on Sunday, as left fielder Carl Crawford was unable to play due to a stomach illness.

The injury is poorly timed, as Puig was just beginning to start hitting, after a slow start. So far Puig is batting .267 (8 for 30) in seven games, and 34 plate appearances. He’s hit two home runs, and has four runs batted in.