Dodgers place Pedro Báez on injured list with groin strain
The Dodgers placed right-hander Pedro Báez on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a right groin strain. Josh Sborz, one of the team’s three players on the taxi squad in Seattle, was recalled to replace him in the bullpen.
The move continues a rough patch for Báez. He arrived to training camp late last month for reasons that remain undisclosed and hasn’t been able to find his footing so far this season.
He has a 3.97 earned-run average, which would qualify as the worst in his career, in 11 appearances. He gave up home runs in his last two outings. He surrendered runs in each of his last three appearances, tying the longest streak of his career.
The numbers surfaced as his fastball velocity dropped to career-low 94.4 mph — down from 96 mph last season. Last weekend, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the club expected the velocity to climb that deep into the season.
“It’s not that we’re concerned about it,” Roberts said, “but it’s something that we’re just digging into.”
Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson and Max Muncy hit solo home runs Wednesday night, a positive sign for the slumping left-handed batters.
The Dodgers will proceed without him and without Corey Seager in their starting lineup when they face he Seattle Mariners for the fourth and final time this season. Chris Taylor will start at shortstop instead against Mariners left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.
Seager went four for 13 with a three-run home run and a double in three games against his older brother’s team. He was hitless in five at-bats and struck out with the bases loaded to end Wednesday’s 6-4 loss.
His older brother Kyle , meanwhile, will start again at third base for Seattle. He’ll bat fourth. The elder Seager is three for nine with a home run, a double, and four walks so far in the home-and-home series.
He’ll face Clayton Kershaw on Thursday. Kershaw enters with a 2.65 ERA in three starts this season. Two outings were good, one wasn’t. He’s coming off holding the Angels to one run in seven innings on Friday.
The Dodgers (18-8) had their seven-game winning streak snapped Wednesday, but still enter Thursday with the best record in the major leagues. The Mariners, on the other hand, hold the third-worst mark at 8-18.
DODGERS LINEUP
1. Mookie Betts — Right field
2. AJ Pollock — Left field
3. Justin Turner — Third base
4. Cody Bellinger — Center field
5. Chris Taylor — Shortstop
6. Max Muncy — First base
7. Kiké Hernández — Second base
8. Austin Barnes — Catcher
9. Matt Beaty — Designated hitter
Starting pitcher:
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