Dodgers: Fan Favorite Activated from Injured List

Long-time Dodgers catcher Russell Martin has been activated from the 10-day Injured List. He was placed on the IL team on April 9 with a lower back strain.

The Dodgers today activated catcher Russell Martin from the 10-day injured list and optioned catcher Rocky Gale to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

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— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 27, 2019

According to manager Dave Roberts, Martin will be making his return from the IL in concurrence with starting pitcher Rich Hill and will catch him on that day for the final game of the Pirates series.

“He looks great,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We did as much as we could outside of having a real game. I think we’ve checked all the boxes. He feels confident. I expect him to be in the starting lineup on Sunday.”

Roberts also stated that instead of a true rehab assignment, Russell Martin caught ‘several’ innings of side sessions, including one of Kenta Maeda’s sessions.

In Martin, the Dodgers have missed their backup catcher and called up Rocky Gale as a corresponding move. To activate Russell Martin, the club optioned Gale back to Triple A-Oklahoma City.

Upon his return, Martin could quite possibly find himself getting even more at-bats than he did prior to his injury. With Austin Barnes struggling mightily over the last couple of weeks and Martin’s .333/.500/.600 slash line, the path to playing time is there for him.

As Dave Roberts mentioned, expect to see Russ back in the lineup on Sunday!