Juan Uribe To Visit Hand Specialist This Weekend

Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe, who was placed on the disabled list on Monday with a left wrist injury, could be out for longer than 15 days. Uribe had an MRI on his left wrist on Tuesday that confirmed a sprained left wrist. He is scheduled to see a hand specialist this weekend when the Dodgers return to Los Angeles.

Manager Don Mattingly said the MRI showed what could be arthritis or wear and tear, but trainer Sue Falsone declined to discuss specifics until Uribe met with the hand specialist.

"It's something that they're going to let calm down," Mattingly said of Uribe's wrist injury. "We feel like we'll be able to rest this thing and it will get better. If it doesn't, there are other steps we have to take."

When asked whether or not surgery on Uribe's wrist has been ruled out Falsone said, "We haven't ruled out anything at this point."

Meanwhile, Matt Kemp is expected to return on May 29, his first day eligible to be activated from the DL. Kemp, on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, received an injection of platelet-rich plasma on Tuesday, which was followed by rest yesterday and today.

Kemp will be able to hit off a tee on Thursday if he doesn't feel any pain in his hamstring, and will also begin a program of progressive movement. Falsone, like Mattingly, feels it would be best for Kemp to ultimately play in a minor league rehab game or two before returning to the Dodgers.

"The smart thing to do is put him in a game situation," Falsone said. "You can't mimic competition."

Starting Lineups

When asked if today's Dodgers lineup, with only Andre Ethier remaining from the opening day lineup of April 5, would qualify in spring training given the requirement to start at least four regulars or semi-regulars, Mattingly joked, "It will qualify next year in spring training."

Mattingly cited the funky mid-week two-day trip to San Diego with a day game after a night game, along with the Dodgers in the middle of a stretch of 13 games in 13 days, as reasons to give a day of rest to both A.J. Ellis and Mark Ellis.

Today's lineup is the product of having three starters plus a semi-regular reserve on the shelf. Mattingly put it simply, "It would be what I would normally do, but it just looks funny because nobody else is in the lineup."

Dee Gordon, who is hitting .156/.191/.178 (7-for-45) against left-handed pitchers this season, is sitting today against the southpaw Clayton Richard for the San Diego Padres. The slumping Gordon hit balls off a tee today during batting practice, a method Mattingly is fond of.

"You hit off that tee, and it helps you find your contact points. You can control exactly where the ball is, that's what I like about that," Mattingly said. "The guy can actually see the ball travel, as he knows if he's hitting it well or not. He gets instant feedback. In the cage sometimes the ball hits the net so quick you don't really quite know where you're hitting that ball."

Game Time: 3:35 p.m.

TV: Prime Ticket

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