Staring at the prospect of being swept by the Houston Astros, the Los Angeles Dodgers went into the series finale a bit shorthanded. Matt Kemp (ankle contusion) and Yasiel Puig (oblique) each were out of the lineup against Gerrit Cole because of their respective injuries.
Kemp’s was a result of fouling a pitch off his foot in Saturday’s 14-0 loss, while Puig was also in that game, but on his left oblique and not the right side that required a recent stint on the 10-day disabled list. Puig missed three weeks with the injury.
Although the Dodgers projected as much, that he returned in such short order was mildly surprising.