The Dodgers added an outfielder on Monday, a big one in Yasiel Puig. But they also lost another starter, as left fielder Carl Crawford was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. The move allowed the Dodgers to recall Stephen Fife, who is making a spot start in place of Chris Capuano on Monday against the Padres.
Crawford injured the hamstring on Saturday after hitting the second of two doubles. The malady was originally categorized as a cramp, but was worse upon further review.
"With Carl they were originally talking about a couple of days, but after they saw the MRI today they felt like it would be a couple of weeks," said manager Don Mattingly. "It's not anything major, not like Hanley (Ramirez), but they knew it wasn't going to be four days, or five days. It was going to be more than we could afford."
In the span of five days, the Dodgers have placed starting position players Matt Kemp, A.J. Ellis, and Crawford on the disabled list. Crawford is the 14th Dodgers player to be placed on the disabled list this season.
Crawford is hitting .301/.358/.470 this season and leads the team with 32 runs scored, 12 doubles, and nine stolen bases. With 51 games played, he is tied for second on the team with Kemp, who is also on the DL.
As for Ramirez, he is scheduled to play in one more rehab game with Class-A Rancho Cucmonga on Monday night, and the Dodgers could have their shortstop back as early as Tuesday. He has missed four weeks with a left hamstring strain.
"I'm hoping (he's back Tuesday)," Mattingly said.
Mattingly also said adding Puig didn't have much to do with Crawford's injury, that the 22-year-old Cuban would still be here even if Crawford wasn't placed on the disabled list.
"We're still in that spot where we need an outfielder, so I think yes," Mattingly said. "As soon as Matt went down, our first kind of thought was Yasiel."
As for Fife, he is likely headed for the same fate as Matt Magill on Sunday, though hopefully not of the nine-walk, four-homer variety. Assuming Chris Capuano's MRI exam shows nothing out of the ordinary, Fife will likely be optioned back to Triple-A to make room for Ramirez once he is activated from the disabled list.
Game info
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket