Dodgers right fielder Jason Heyward has not played since Saturday. According to Bill Plunkett of The Orange Country Register, Heyward wasn’t even at the stadium on Monday night, as the Dodgers welcomed the Giants for the first matchup of a three-game set. Heyward, 34, has been dealing with a stiff back for about a week. On Monday, he went to get his back checked out, and manager Dave Roberts said he would “probably get some imaging” (as relayed by Plunkett). Presumably, the Dodgers will know more about the severity of his injury later tonight or tomorrow.
If Heyward needs a stint on the injured list, the Dodgers will likely recall Miguel Vargas from Triple-A. Formerly a top infield prospect, Vargas began taking some reps in left field in 2022 and has continued to work in the outfield. A right-handed hitter and inexperienced outfielder, Vargas cannot play the same role as the lefty-batting, Gold Glove-winning Heyward. Still, he can provide the Dodgers with an extra body for the outfield, likely splitting time with Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernández.
In more positive news for the Dodgers, Plunkett reports that right-handed relievers Brusdar Graterol and Blake Treinen are making progress as they recover from a shoulder injury and a bruised lung and ribs, respectively. Graterol is getting ready to throw off a mound tomorrow, while Treinen “might throw lightly off a mound” sometime before Thursday.
In other news from around the NL West…
- Reigning NL Cy Young and new Giants ace Blake Snell will make his first start of the season on Monday, manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). He has already begun facing minor league hitters, and he will pitch in a simulated game against his own teammates on Wednesday before taking on the Nationals next week. The southpaw joins a Giants rotation that already features last year’s Cy Young runner-up Logan Webb, highly-touted rookie Kyle Harrison, and flame-throwing reliever-turned-starter Jordan Hicks.
- Speaking of star free agents who signed too late to pitch in spring training, Jordan Montgomery was unable to throw a proper simulated game this afternoon due to poor weather, but he still got in 50 pitches over three up-downs, reports Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic adds that Montgomery is scheduled to make his first start for Triple-A Reno on Sunday. The Diamondbacks have not said how many starts the lefty needs before he is MLB-ready, but during his introductory press conference, Montgomery himself said he was eyeing April 19 as the date for his return (per Weiner). Indeed, Robert Murray of FanSided reports that the 2023 World Series champion has a clause in his contract that requires him to be in the majors by April 19. However, Montgomery will presumably stay in the minors a little longer if it is what’s best for his long-term health and performance.
His employers have been dealing with a “stiff” and mostly doa bat for years. Thank goodness the heyward hype machine was in full effect 10, or so years ago, thereby allowing him to get greatly overpaid by Theo & company
Still upset?
RE js
Nearly every single player is underpaid for much of their career.
Mid fans only complain about “overpays”
The capitalist propaganda machine is humming along nicely
They are all overpaid!
Acuna overpaid? What about Bobby Miller as one of many cheap solid you players making around the league minimum?
kf
Sigh
Explain why you believe that
john silver
He’s been a very solid player for the Dodgers.
I detect the odor of bitter almonds……
Padres could have used Dnell.
Team is underfunded in 2024. 90 million less.
Tow – They lost $116M last year, can’t expect them to continue losing that much every year
He thinks the padres have the same tv contract as the dodgers. Dude is delusional.
A lot of people on this site think every team has the same TV contract as the Dodgers. They are usually large market fans.
This – You mean the Athletics and Pirates didn’t sign 25-year $8.35B TV contracts? Haha!
Blame the TV deal.Haha
To own a team you have to have several alternative sources of captial.
Who is to say a deal isn’t in place but not publicized, allowing for a larger profit margin.
Payroll was reduced.
Ticket prices were increased.
Profit is the name of the game and would very well send this club to a fourth place finish
Alternative sources of capital.
Lack of spending could very well result in a fourth place finish.
Fans are being conditioned to expect less in SD.
And if payroll goes down next year instead of up, or stays the same, maintaining the status quo?
This is all about conditioning Padres fans to expect less.
Peter wouldn’t be happy.
tow – I think you’re just failing to come to grips with the fact that Peter realized around 2019 his days might be numbered, and therefore winning a championship took priority over money. As the saying goes, you can’t take it with you.
In 2019 they had the 7th-lowest payroll and prior to that they were consistently near the bottom, or at the very bottom. Look at the timing of events, how the payroll jumped in 2020 to Top Ten and kept rising after.
.Montgomery did one too many up-downs. He also needs some left-right, left-right, then a B-A before START.
Underrated comment
Snell getting stretched out to another-worldly 5 innings.
*4 2/3
Here’s my suggestion to Heyward.
A person can make a few lifestyle changes to reduce back pain, such as switching shoes and changing their workstation. Eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep may also help reduce lower back pain.
So if Heyward goes on the IL why would the Dodgers bring up a third RH bat? Seems to me Pages would be the next man up…
Uh…. um….. Pages is a right handed bat as well.
Picky picky lol
Not sure why the Dodgers don’t simply put Gold Glover Betts back in RF and just use Miguel Rojas at SS and have the better overall defense, rather than taking the hit at two positions to keep Heyward’s bat in the lineup. Granted, the step down from Betts to Heyward in RF probably isn’t that great, but I just don’t see how his bat justifies this re-arrangement,
They’re not putting Betts back into the OF according to Roberts. Also, they haven’t done anything as of yet. You’re reading an opinion piece here, and we know how accurate this column is…
Roberts never had an original thought in his life. He does what the org tells him to do.
Ketch
” Granted, the step down from Betts to Heyward in RF probably isn’t that great, but I just don’t see how his bat justifies this re-arrangement,”
The difference between Heyward’s bat and Rojas’ bat > difference between Betts’/Heyward’s defense and Betts’/Rojas’ defense. So think the Dodgers. Who almost certainly know more than us.
On days when they are facing a LH starter, Betts moves to 2B, Rojas plays SS, and Heyward usually isn’t going to be in the lineup.
once again, so many know so little about so much…
Would love to see Billy Hamilton as a bench player for The Dodgers
What’s the over/under on a Snell injury? He signed a big money AAV contract, now rushing through a ramp up to hurry up and get to the mound, and pile up stats for another big $$$ contract. Seems like a perfect storm for a long trip to the IL.