Dodgers Officially Buyers On Abreu, Option Sellers

In a move that has been expected since Wednesday, the Dodgers on Friday signed outfielder Bobby Abreu. It will be interesting to see how many starts the 38-year old Abreu gets with the Dodgers. He started 18 games in left field and 10 games in right field in 2011 with the Angels. Abreu started seven games in the outfield this season with the Halos before he was released last Friday.

"Bobby has consistently performed throughout his career and brings his winning experience to the clubhouse," general manager Ned Colletti said in a statement. "He gives us a left-handed bat off the bench and will also see time in the outfield. He has been a very good hitter throughout his career, he knows how to work a count and has been a run producer."

Abreu will wear number 33 with the Dodgers, per David Vassegh of Dodger Talk.

The Dodgers have optioned Justin Sellers to Triple A Albuquerque to make room for Abreu on the active roster. This tells us two things: (1) Juan Uribe's left wrist is is healthy enough to avoid a stint on the disabled list, though he is out of the lineup today; and (2) Jerry Hairston Jr. is now the back-up shortstop.

Hairston caused some concern in spring training when he made four errors in his first two games at shortstop. But he was also dealing with an inflamed shoulder at the time and neither Hairston nor manager Don Mattingly were concerned at the time.

Gordon is hitting just .217/.263/.293 so far this season, and has been held out of the starting lineup four times in 25 games. Sellers had started all four of those games, all against left-handed pitchers, against whom Gordon is just 3-for-25 this season.

With Hairston playing third base for Uribe today at Wrigley Field against the Cubs, Gordon starts at shortstop against the lefty Paul Maholm. Today also marks the return of Juan Rivera to left field, his first time in the outfield since straining his left hamstring on April 24.

For the first time all season, Andre Ethier is batting cleanup against a left-handed pitcher with Rivera also in the lineup.

Game Time: 11:20 a.m.

TV: Prime Ticket

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