Yasiel Puig sits again, Yasmani Grandal bats 2nd in Dodgers finale with Mariners

LOS ANGELES -- Yasiel Puig will sit for a second straight game with left hamstring tightness, missing the final game of the Dodgers' series against the Mariners at Dodger Stadium.

Sitting Puig on Wednesday gives him the potential for three days off while missing just two games, coupled with Thursday's off day. We won't know whether Puig will be available to pinch hit no matter what manager Don Mattingly says before Wednesday's game.

Andre Ethier starts in place of Puig, his fourth start in the last five games. Ethier homered on Wednesday and is 4-for-9 with a home run, triple and double in the last four games.

The Dodgers are also giving Scott Van Slyke a start against a right-handed pitcher, Mariners starter Taijuan Walker.  Mattingly talked Tuesday about getting regular at-bats for his reserves and that Van Slyke has suffered since the Dodgers will have faced just one left-handed starter in the first two weeks of the season.

No Puig and no Carl Crawford means a new person batting second, and Wednesday night that falls to catcher Yasmani Grandal, he of the career .350 on-base percentage, including .355 against right-handed pitchers.

This is Grandal's first career start batting second.