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Dodgers News: Andre Ethier Accepting Role Off The Bench

[new_royalslider id=”272″] Behind a Juan Uribe three-run home run, the Los Angeles Dodgers erased their 2-0 deficit in the second inning and let Clayton Kershaw do the rest.

The Dodger ace allowed the tying run to score the following inning, but then kept the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim off the board for the next four innings. Brian Wilson squandered the Dodgers one-run lead in the eighth and the teams remained tied into the bottom of the ninth.



Following a Uribe single in the bottom of the ninth, A.J. Ellis’ base hit put runners on the corners with one out. Andre Ethier pinch-hit for Kenley Jansen and bounced into fielder’s choice that scored Uribe from third as Chris Iannetta dropped the ball while attempting to apply the tag and the Dodgers had another walk-off win.

The unorthodox ending to the game was somewhat fitting for Ethier as his season has been filled with uncertainty. Tuesday was another game the outfielder didn’t start, which he stated he isn’t thrilled over but is focusing on the bigger picture, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:

[Not playing] is not an ideal situation, not where you want to be, but it’s what we need right now and what we’re doing,” said Ethier. “We’re a first-place team right now, we’re playing good baseball, and I don’t think anybody is going to be griping right now.”

Ethier began the season platooning in left field with Carl Crawford, then took over as the everyday center field when Matt Kemp was removed from the position. With Crawford’s return from the disabled list and the new outfield alignment that has Yasiel Puig in center and Kemp in right, Ethier has fallen out of favor.

The 32-year-old outfielder has started five of the 12 games since the All-Star break and at one point, struck out in seven consecutive at-bats. While the Dodgers didn’t trade any of their outfielders at the non-waiver deadline, Ethier was one of three who cleared waivers.

As it stands, Ethier appears set in a role as a pinch-hitter for the Dodgers barring a team surprisingly taking him in a waivers trade.
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