With a seventh National League West title a mere formality at this point, the Los Angeles Dodgers are balancing health with keeping pace in the standings. They’ve lost some ground of late by going 7-8 in their last 15 games, but still boast the best record in the NL.
More concerning than entering Sunday 1.5 games back of the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, the Dodgers continue to deal with a rash of injuries despite the likes of Dylan Floro, David Freese and Ross Stripling returning, and Rich Hill and Max Muncy expected back this week.
Alex Verdugo suffered a setback in his rehab and is “stagnant” in the recovery process, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed after Saturday’s loss that Joe Kelly is dealing with a nagging issue.