Dodgers News: Mattingly Leaves Door Open For Change At Third Base

Heading into Spring Training, there didn’t appear to be a clear spot on the roster for Alex Guerrero. He wasn’t signed with visions of being a shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers and he wasn’t going to unseat Howie Kendrick at second base.

However, now that Guerrero has morphed into a utility man capable of playing third base and who comes with a hot bat, calls have increased for him to replace Juan Uribe as the regular starter. Guerrero stated his desire to play every day, which manager Don Mattingly has continued to dismiss as a possibility at this time.

While Mattingly has thus far resisted having a quick trigger, he left open the possibility for change down the line, via Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:

We’ll see,” he said. “We’re not going to be hardheaded to the point where we’re going to say, ‘This is what we said we’re going to do and we’re going to stay with it.’ You make decisions based on where you’re at, where you’re going.”

Although he has not shown shown much on the defensive side, Guerrero certainly has made an argument to start with his performance at the plate. So far this season, he’s is batting .474 with four home runs and 12 RBIs, with six of his nine hits being for extra bases.

Guerrero was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Cuba in 2013 and landed himself a spot in Triple-A Albuquerquelast season. Had it not been for the injury he suffered during an altercation with teammate Miguel Olivo, he may have made his MLB debut much sooner than he did.

What works against Guerrero is the Dodgers also have Justin Turner on the roster and a plethora of outfielders, which limits his opportunities. With Uribe struggling so far this season (batting .250 through 15 games), it may just be a matter of time before a new third baseman takes over.

Dodgers Blue Diamond Gala