A right adductor strain had kept Justin Turner out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup since July 11, though his return to his regular third base spot today didn’t last long. Turner had to leave today’s 11-2 win over the Brewers in the middle of the third inning due to right groin tightness. Talking to media (including the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett) after the game, Turner said that his injury “definitely didn’t get worse but wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.” A DL stint could potentially be in the cards, though Turner will first receive further examination from the team’s medical staff.
Turner already missed the first six weeks of the season due to a fractured wrist, and it’s fair to say that his performance has suffered due to these injuries. He is still delivering above-average (110 wRC+) production, though his .259/.354/.398 slash line is below his usual standards, particularly in the power department. If he does hit the DL, Los Angeles likely already has enough infield depth that they wouldn’t look for any more help at the deadline, especially since the Dodgers already made a big infield addition in Manny Machado. It might be interesting to monitor if Machado gets any time at the hot corner if Turner if out, though it’s more likely that Machado will simply remain at shortstop.
Some more injury updates from around baseball…
- That same Dodgers/Brewers game also saw Milwaukee southpaw Brent Suter leave after three innings due to a forearm strain. Manager Craig Counsell told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt and other reporters that Suter would undergo an MRI, though Suter is expected to land on the disabled list. Suter had a brief DL stint earlier this month with tightness in that same forearm, so it isn’t surprising that the team would be cautious with such an injury even if the MRI doesn’t reveal anything serious. Milwaukee was already rumored to be looking for pitching at the deadline, and that search is likely to intensify with Suter out of action. Suter was rocked for six runs today to boost his season ERA to 4.80, though Suter has just a 1.64 BB/9 to go along with a 7.46 K/9 rate, and ERA predictors (such as a 4.04 xFIP) are generally more favorable about his performance.
- Yoenis Cespedes’ recent comments about considering surgery to fix calcification in his heels caught the Mets by surprise, assistant GM John Ricco told the New York Times’ James Wagner (Twitter links) and other reporters. Still, Ricco stressed that surgery would be Cespedes’ “last resort” to solve his ongoing leg problems, and that Cespedes’ comments could have been made out of simple frustration. The outfielder will visit doctors tomorrow, though Ricco said that an examination of Cespedes’ feet in June indicated that the injury could be managed without immediate need for surgery.
- Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier was placed on the seven-day concussion DL this weekend while playing at Triple-A, though his status has been changed to a 10-day stint on the Major League disabled list. (NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty was among those who had the news.) Beyond the specifics of his placement, Frazier’s injury could also impact his immediate future in the organization, as the prospect has often been cited as a popular trade chip for the Yankees at the deadline.