Injury could shelve Taylor 4-6 weeks
The Dodgers placed Chris Taylor on the 10-day injured list Monday with a fractured left forearm after he was hit by a pitch in the 11th inning in Sunday night’s win over the Boston Red Sox. Matt Beaty was recalled from triple-A Oklahoma City to take his place on the roster.
Taylor said it’s a non-displaced fracture and the expected timetable for his return is four to six weeks.
“Pretty upsetting,” Taylor said after the Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 16-2 on Monday night. “I wasn’t surprised, but I was hopeful that it wasn’t fractured.”
The Dodgers left Boston early Monday hoping Taylor was dealing with only a bad bruise. But they weren’t sure. The only technology available at Fenway Park for an examination was a fluoroscope. It didn’t reveal broken bones, but a more thorough X-ray test was deemed necessary. Beaty had been summoned in case the team’s fears were realized.
“We’re disappointed for C.T.,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And he allows for a lot of different things that we do. But hopefully we’ll get him back sooner than later.”
Tasked to replace Corey Seager at shortstop when Seager strained his hamstring last month, Taylor batted .380 with a 1.074 onbase-plus-slugging percentage in 24 games during Seager’s absence. Seager returned Friday, after the AllStar break, shifting Taylor to his utility role. Taylor, 28, is batting .261 with a .787 OPS in 90 games this year.
Red Sox right-hander Heath Hembree plunked Taylor with a 92-mph fastball. Taylor writhed in pain but stayed in the game until Austin Barnes pinch-hit for him in the 12th inning.
Beaty returns after getting optioned to Oklahoma City during the All-Star break. The rookie, 26, is batting .284 with a .732 OPS in 38 games with the Dodgers. He had a double and a walk in two plate appearances in Monday’s rout.
Sadler joins bullpen
In need of a fresh arm and length out of their bullpen after a marathon threegame series against the Red Sox, the Dodgers designated left-hander Zac Rosscup for assignment and recalled right-hander Casey Sadler from Oklahoma City.
The Dodgers acquired Sadler from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 3. A former starter, Sadler gave up four earned runs across nine appearances in three major league stints with the Rays and posted a 2.76 earned-run average in 11 outings for triple-A Durham this season before his trade. Eight of his nine appearances for the Rays were for at least two innings. He surrendered four earned runs in six innings in two three-inning outings for Oklahoma City before his promotion. Sadler pitched the final two innings of the Dodgers’ win Monday and gave up one run.
It is the fourth time a club has designated Rosscup, 31, for assignment since November. The Dodgers have done it twice. Rosscup pitched in seven games for the Dodgers and gave up two earned runs. In his last outing, Sunday against the Red Sox, Rosscup was called on to face the left-handed-hitting Jackie Bradley Jr. in the ninth inning. He walked him and was removed.
Rosscup’s departure leaves the Dodgers without a situational left-hander in their bullpen. Julio Urias, the only left-hander remaining, is used for multiple innings and given substantial rest between appearances.
Roberts insisted the lack of left-handers won’t be a handicap. He pointed to right-handers Pedro Baez and Yimi Garcia as options against left-handed hitters.
Tipping pitches?
In the eighth inning Sunday, after Baez gave up consecutive home runs on three pitches to fumble away the Dodgers’ two-run lead, Roberts walked to the mound for a chat.
It was unusual. Rarely does Roberts emerge from the dugout without taking the ball from his pitcher. It turns out he went out to inform Baez that the Dodgers believed he was tipping pitches. Baez finished the inning with three strikeouts.
“When guys are taking swings like that off him, in different locations, there’s a red flag,” Roberts said.