Andrew Heaney exits with left arm contusion after hit by line drive

Andrew Heaney’s disjointed season took another stumble on Saturday, when the Dodgers left-hander exited after just three innings, shortly after getting hit by a line drive, suffering a contusion on his left bicep.

Bobby Witt Jr. in the third inning lined a ball 106.5 mph off the bat that hit Heaney in the ..., and deflected for an infield single. Heaney conferred with a team trainer and manager Dave Roberts, and stayed in the game, briefly.

Heaney struck out Salvador Perez and Hunter Dozier on six pitches to end the inning, but after sitting in the Kauffman Stadium dugout for a half-inning, the left-hander’s night was done after 60 pitches.

Heaney said he was “fine.”

While on the mound this season, Heaney has been quite good. His two runs allowed on Saturday matched his earned runs total for his first six starts. He struck out five and walked none, giving him 42 strikeouts (a 32.3-percent strikeout rate) against 10 walks in his 31 innings.

But that Heaney’s only at 31 innings more than two-thirds through the season is the issue. After two long injured list stints with shoulder soreness sidelined him for 81 games, the Dodgers haven’t pushed Heaney since coming back from his latest ailment. His 81 pitches last Saturday against San Diego were the most Heaney’s thrown since April.

Saturday in Kansas City marked Heaney’s fourth straight start, his longest stint with the Dodgers this season.