Dodgers face 'big void' in lineup after Howie Kendrick injures hamstring
Howie Kendrick's attempt to help his team win in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 13-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday will have the adverse effect for the Dodgers for at least a few weeks.
While sprinting to first base to beat out an infield single, Kendrick strained his left hamstring, the same muscle he pulled in 2008 while a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
"It just grabbed," Kendrick said. "I saw the play, had a chance to get a hit and instincts take over. I tried to kick it into another gear and it grabbed. And it stinks, because this is the time of year you want to be on the field, not off the field. You want to try to help the team win and put the team in a spot to win games, and there I was hustling and it came back to bite me."
The second baseman beat the throw to first base, but now expects to be sidelined for a bit as he tries to work his way back onto the field. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list after being examined on Monday.
"Very similar," he said of the hamstring injury he sustained with the Angels. "Don't expect to see me playing tomorrow. I've got to get in the gym, working and getting back on the field."
With Kendrick out for the foreseeable future, utility man Kiké Hernandez or prospect Jose Peraza, who was called up Monday, will likely fill second base, and while Hernandez has proven himself a valuable asset to the Dodgers this season, they know Kendrick's absence is a big blow.
"It's a big void," manager Don Mattingly said. "Howie is bread and butter, a leader, a big part of us. Basically, a big chunk of us. I don't know exactly who we'll bring. We'll talk on the plane tonight. Kiké swung the bat well against a righty tonight and deserves a chance to play. We'll talk about our different options."
(h/t MLB.com)
