Dodgers News: Yasmani Grandal Removed From Game In 5th Inning

UPDATE (May 22, 10:10 p.m. PT): Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said postgame Yasmani Grandal passed a concussion test after being struck by Yangervis Solarte’s bat in the third inning, but he wasn’t tested after taking a foul ball off his mask in the fourth.

The Dodgers removed Grandal as a precaution and he won’t play Saturday, which was a planned game off. He will be reexamined then.

While Kenley Jansen made his return from Februrary foot surgery, the Los Angeles Dodgers have endured a rash of injuries over the last month. Carl Crawford suffered an oblique injury, Brandon McCarthy had season-ending Tommy John surgery, Yasiel Puig is on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring and Hyun-Jin Ryu underwent shoulder surgery that ended any chance of him returning this season.

Through it all, the Dodgers entered Friday’s game as one of two teams in the National League with at least a .600 winning percentage; the St. Louis Cardinals being the other. Among the reasons the Dodgers have continued to accumulate the wins (being swept in San Francisco not withstanding) has been the emergence of Yasmani Grandal.

After a slow start to the season, which Grandal tied to shoulder inflammation, the 26 year old began play Friday night batting .396/.492/.667 in the month of May with three home runs and 15 RBIs. Now the Dodgers hope Grandal can avoid the growing list of injured players as he was removed in the fifth inning and replaced by A.J. Ellis.

Grandal first was struck on the mask by Yangervis Solarte’s backswing in the third, which prompted trainer Stan Conte to check on the catcher. Conte continued to examine Grandal in the dugout and allowed him to continue playing.

Then in the fourth a Matt Kemp foul ball hit Grandal’s mask, though he did bat and fly out in the home half of the inning. An update on his status was not available at the time of this writing.

Don Mattingly On Losing Hyun-Jin Ryu