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Dodgers’ Chris Taylor receives cortisone injection for knee injury

June 18, 2023

LOS ANGELES – This might sound familiar.

Days after waiting to put Max Muncy on the Injured List, hoping he would recover quickly enough to make it unnecessary – only to put him on the IL – the Dodgers are going down that same road with Chris Taylor.

Taylor underwent an MRI on his injured right knee Saturday which revealed “wear and tear” and a bone bruise, according to Taylor.

“It had been bothering me for the last couple weeks or so. Then last night, coming out of the box (on his second-inning ground out) it got worse,” Taylor said. “With an MRI, you never know so I was a little relieved (that it was a bone bruise and not ligament damage).”

Taylor received a cortisone injection in the injured knee which will make him unavailable to play this weekend. But the Dodgers are not putting him on the Injured List yet, hoping he recovers well enough by Tuesday to play in the series against the Angels.

“I think that knee has been balky for quite some time. When you’re running around over years with time, that cartilage just breaks down,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think last night it came to a little bit of a head. I don’t think it’s longer term. I think it’s something we can manage.”

Utilityman Yonny Hernandez joined the Dodgers Saturday on the taxi squad. He would be activated if Taylor has to go on the IL. Hernandez has hit .265 in 46 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

David Peralta also left Friday’s game with an injury. He injured a hamstring on a play at first base that ended up with him tumbling to the ground. Peralta was out early Saturday afternoon testing his hamstring in the outfield.

“David feels better today. He said he could play today. So if there’s a situation to pinch hit that might be a possibility,” Roberts said, adding that he would avoid using Peralta in the outfield.

“I think I’d like to give him another day as far as running around. But in a big spot to have him hit might be viable.”

URIAS PROGRESS

Left-hander Julio Urias threw an “up-down” bullpen session Saturday afternoon, simulating an inning break and throwing 40 pitches in all.

“(Urias) used his entire pitch mix and was really good,” Roberts said.

The expectation now is that Urias will throw to hitters in a simulated-game setting in the next few days and could go on a minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment shortly after that. Roberts said Urias could join Class-A Rancho Cucamonga for that. It would be the left-hander’s first game action since injuring his left hamstring on May 18.

PITCHING PLANS

Right-hander Michael Grove was officially optioned to the minor leagues in order to clear a roster spot for Emmet Sheehan to start Friday. But Grove has not left the Dodgers and went through his usual workout Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, throwing in the outfield.

“He’s going to hang around. We’re going to see what we have to do,” Roberts said. “Our pitching is in flux right now so Michael is in a holding pattern.”

The Dodgers have off days Monday and Thursday this week but they could decide to bring Grove back in order to avoid pitching Sheehan on four days’ rest Wednesday in Anaheim. In order to recall Grove that quickly, it would have to be paired with an IL move for another pitcher. Roberts said they are monitoring a number of pitchers in the bullpen who have been used heavily recently.

ALSO

After covering 11 innings in the previous two games, the Dodgers’ bullpen was in need of reinforcement Saturday so 6-foot-8 left-hander Bryan Hudson was promoted from Triple-A. Right-hander Tayler Scott was designated for assignment.

Hudson was 4-0 with a 2.17 ERA in 25 appearances for OKC and struck out 51 in 29 innings.

UP NEXT

Giants (RHP Logan Webb, 5-6, 3.15 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin, 4-1, 1.93 ERA), Sunday, 1:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network, AM 570

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