Trea Turner to start off at shortstop for Dodgers in Match 4 regardless of finger injury

The Dodgers dropped Sport 3 of the National League Division Sequence towards the San Diego Padres, but they avoided losing their star shortstop for Recreation 4 on Saturday night.

Trea Turner still left Petco Park on Friday night time right after the Dodgers’ 2-1 loss doubtful whether he would enjoy Saturday with the group dealing with elimination just after he damage his ideal ring finger sliding into first base in the eighth inning on a pickoff try. X-rays on the finger had been adverse, but his availability for Recreation 4 depended on the discomfort. He reported the major check would be whether or not he could grip a bat.

On Saturday, just more than two hours before 1st pitch, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts explained an MRI exam uncovered Turner suffered a Quality 2 sprain. He pointed out there was some concern about Turner’s position, but Turner felt prepared to perform just after throwing and having swings. Roberts gave Turner the option to start off as the specified hitter, but he told Roberts he wanted to participate in shortstop.

“He would not be on the wounded record,” Roberts explained, “but I would say, if it was the typical season, he could possibly choose a working day.”

Padres reliever Robert Suarez caught Turner leaning the improper way main off initial foundation with no outs in the eighth soon after Turner experienced attained on a single. Turner managed to rush back again in time with a slide, but he jammed the finger. He had the finger taped and stayed in the activity. He was left stranded on base.

This is not the 1st time Turner has encountered finger injuries in his career. He performed as a result of a damaged ideal index finger in 2019 and another fractured finger very last time. He reported Friday night time that he would have on mitts on both hands on the bases if he performed Saturday. He generally wears a mitt only on his still left hand.

Turner jumped out to a superior get started this postseason, clubbing household operates in two of his initial six plate appearances, but he has considering that scuffled. He’s created two mistakes on defense, just one in just about every of the last two video games, and produced an additional inadequate defensive perform in Sport 2 that was ruled a fielder’s choice.

He struck out in his initial two plate appearances Friday, such as when in the third inning with two runners on foundation and one particular out, and popped out with a runner at third base in the fifth. He led off the eighth inning with a one, but he was remaining stranded as the Dodgers’ woes with runners in scoring position ongoing.

Gavin Lux and Chris Taylor are the Dodgers’ two other possibilities to perform shortstop. Neither, on the other hand, has begun a recreation at shortstop this time. Hanser Alberto, who is not on the Dodgers’ NLDS roster, is the only participant apart from Turner to have started a recreation there. Alberto started off two.

Lux, a shortstop by way of the minor leagues, has played 31 innings at shortstop in 2022. He was established to start off at next foundation Saturday. Taylor has logged just 1 inning at shortstop. He was slated to be the Dodgers’ beginning remaining fielder Saturday.

There is a prospect the Dodgers will will need to obtain yet another setting up shortstop for 2023 with Turner hitting absolutely free agency this wintertime.

The 29-12 months-aged All-Star’s 6.3 WAR (wins higher than alternative) this period was tied for second between important league shortstops. His .298 batting ordinary ranked second, his .466 slugging percentage was third, and his 27 steals had been fourth. He is anticipated to draw in suitors all-around the majors as a person of the leading skills on the industry along with fellow shortstops Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson.

A loss Saturday and his career as a Dodger could be in excess of.

Cody Bellinger benched

The Dodgers’ lineup Saturday showcased a person notable surprise: Cody Bellinger wasn’t in it. In spite of experiencing correct-hander Joe Musgrove, the Dodgers elected to bench Bellinger and have Trayce Thompson get started in middle discipline.

Roberts pointed to Bellinger’s very poor record dealing with Musgrove — he’s two for 17 versus him — and reported the workforce favored Thompson and Taylor’s prospects to develop superior. But the determination seemed to have caught Bellinger by shock.

“He was upset,” Roberts said. “He desired to be in there. He anticipated to be in there. All 12 months very long I’ve performed him from correct-handed pitching, and he needed to be in there. But he also claimed he’ll be prepared for what ever we require.”

The Dodgers stuck by Bellinger as their day to day center fielder for most of the typical period, even even though he was just one of the worst hitters in the majors for a 3rd straight period immediately after he gained the NL most-worthwhile-participant award in 2019. They shifted their tactic in September, demoting Bellinger to a platoon participant from ideal-handed starting pitchers.

The Dodgers followed that script in the to start with 3 game titles of the NLDS: Bellinger began in Game 1 and Match 2 in opposition to proper-handed starters ahead of he was benched in Sport 3 reverse remaining-hander Blake Snell. But they transformed course Saturday, illustrating a precipitous drop from MVP to bench player in a few yrs.