Joc Pederson is back in the Dodgers lineup, starting with the set hitter Tuesday night, in seventh place against A after a five-match miss on the family’s emergency medical leave list.
How long he stayed with the team is not yet clear. Out of respect for Pederson’s privacy, Roberts did not reveal why Pederson wasted time, nor could he commit to how long he would stay.
“Family first, Jock knows it,” manager Dave Roberts said on a conference call. “I just know Joc worked hard to be here with us to finish this house. I expect him to be with us through the wildcard streak, but then I don’t know.”
The Dodgers – A.
| POS | Such as | POS | The Dodgers |
|---|---|---|---|
| POS | Such as | POS | The Dodgers |
| DH | Star (L) | Radio frequency | Bates |
| LF | Grossman (small) | SS | Seager (L) |
| SS | Seeds | 1 B. | Monsie |
| 1 B. | Olson (L) | CF | Bellinger (L) |
| CF | Like it | C | Smith |
| 3 B. | Lamb (L) | 2B | Taylor |
| Radio frequency | Biscuit | DH | Pederson (L) |
| 2B | Kemp (L) | LF | Pollock |
| C | Murphy | 3 B. | Rivers |
It was a bad season for Pederson, achieving .174 / .268 / .376 with six home runs in 38 matches and 124 board appearances, including two strikes on his last 31 bats dating back to August 28. – Bats at UCSC’s Alternate Training Site during the weekend while the Dodgers are on the road, expected to start against the four right-handed shooters, the Dodgers will face them this week (left-handed Sean Mania and Andrew Heaney on Wednesday and Friday) their regular turn.
“It wasn’t the season that he expected, or expected him to be out,” Roberts said. “But for us, locking him up in the post-season period is the most important thing at the moment.”
Turner scratched
Justin Turner was originally in the squad on Tuesday at third base, having started hitting designated in his first five matches from a left hamstring injury, but he was scratching late with discomfort in his left hamstring. Edwin Ríos starts out on third base instead.
Before changing the squad, Roberts said he did not want to push Turner back.
“I don’t know to what extent we will extend it on the defensive side today,” Roberts said. “Whether it’s three times a bat, or five or six rounds, something like that, I don’t see him playing all night.”
Roberts also said earlier that Turner was set to start from third base on Wednesday as well, but that was before the squad change on Tuesday.
Preview lineup qualifiers?
Outside of Pederson and sometimes Kiké Hernandez, the Dodgers didn’t break up much this year. To that end, with A’s right-handers Frankie Montas, right-handed players AJ Bullock (left field) and Chris Taylor (second base) in the starting line-up.
This isn’t a big surprise, as it’s the 30th start for Taylor and the 29th start for Pollock in 40 games against right-handed shooters this season. Both of them were among the Dodgers’ best hitters.
“I think now what Chris Taylor did this year, and what he has done in the past years, playing against left and right gives us the best chance,” said Roberts. “And apparently AJ, his bats this year against both of them have been very good. Things can always change, but I like the balance in our squad.”
