On March 20, Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier underwent an examination on his balky lower back. A team doctor diagnosed a herniated disk and prescribed a painkilling epidural injection. The Dodgers described the injury as “mild” and suggested they would reevaluate Ethier a week later.
Nearly five weeks have passed since the diagnosis. Ethier has still not been cleared to resume baseball activities, and manager Dave Roberts indicated there is no timetable for that process to begin. Given Ethier’s extended downtime, Roberts admitted on Thursday that Ethier will not be ready to rejoin the Dodgers until June — “at the earliest,” he said.