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Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal is bothered by a sore left shoulder and is out of the lineup on Tuesday night against the Reds, and will likely sit again on Wednesday, per various reporters in Cincinnati.
Grandal had this issue come up earlier in August, the last time the Dodgers faced the Reds, sitting out against right-handed pitcher Keyvius Sampson on Aug. 13 at Dodger Stadium. Most of the switch-hitting Grandal's days off this season have been against left-handed pitching, as all 15 of his home runs have come against right-handed pitching this season.
With a day game after a night game, Grandal also sat on Sunday, so this plan would give him four straight days off.
Grandal still bothered by shoulder.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) August 25, 2015
Dodgers C Yasmani Grandal will likely sit tomorrow again. He has a sore left shoulder. That’ll be four straight days off.
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) August 25, 2015
Grandal not expected to land on DL.
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) August 25, 2015
Grandal sitting with continued shoulder soreness. Mattingly giving him tomorrow off too. Not expected as DL situation.
— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) August 25, 2015
Two weeks ago, manager Don Mattingly was weary that Grandal's sore shoulder would hinder his offense.
"I don't want to get to the point where it affects his swing," Mattingly said. "When it got close to that, we knew we had to give him a day."
Grandal is in the midst of a 3-for-30 slump dating back to Aug. 7, with his last extra-base hit coming one day before that. Grandal on the season is hitting .275/.383/.471 with 15 home runs and 51 walks.
All 15 of the home runs and 48 of the walks have come as catcher. Only five Dodgers have amassed 15 home runs and 50 walks as a catcher in a season — Roy Campanella (1949-53, 1955-56), John Roseboro (1961), Joe Ferguson (1973), Mike Piazza (1996-97) and Russell Martin (2007).