Washington @ Los Angeles preview
Dodger Stadium
Last Meeting ( Apr 25, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 0, Washington 1
Add catching to the problem areas for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who learned Thursday that ironman catcher Russell Martin is done for the season with a hip injury.
Barring an acquisition, the duo of veteran Brad Ausmus and untested rookie A.J. Ellis will rotate behind the plate.
The loss of Martin is the latest critical injury for the Dodgers, who begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
Left fielder Manny Ramirez (calf) is currently serving his third stint on the disabled and shortstop Rafael Furcal will miss the weekend series with Washington after injuring his back earlier this week.
But Martin’s loss might be more damaging since he’s been a workhorse for the Dodgers over the past four seasons.
Martin played 151 games in 2007, 155 in 2008 and 143 last season. He played in 97 games this year before suffering the injury on Tuesday night against the San Diego Padres.
Martin hurt himself while trying to score standing up on a fly ball. Padres center fielder Chris Denorfia threw Martin out at the plate. Martin landed awkwardly on his leg and tore the labrum in his right hip.
The catcher was having a down offensive season – batting .248 with five homers and 26 RBIs – but the platoon of Ausmus and Ellis is a huge downgrade from Martin, a two-time All-Star.
The 41-year-old Ausmus has played in just five games this season after missing three months following back surgery in April.
Ellis, 29, played in his 20th game of the season on Thursday night against San Diego. He went 0-for-3 and is hitting .192 in 52 at-bats.
One of the two will be behind the plate tonight when left-hander Clayton Kershaw pitches against the Nationals.
Kershaw (10-6) has allowed two earned runs or less in six of his last seven starts. He has a 2.94 earned-run average and has struck out 144 batters.
Kershaw took a no-decision against Washington in April when he allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings.
Although lefties are hitting .185 against Kershaw, he has traditionally struggled against Nationals left-handed hitting slugger Adam Dunn.
Dunn, who has an NL-leading 28 homers this season, is 5-for-8 (.625) lifetime with a homer and two doubles against Kershaw. Dunn already has four homers in August but didn’t hit any of Washington’s four homers during Thursday’s 8-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman homered twice to raise his season total to 21. Zimmerman has four homers in the past six games.
The Nationals played without leadoff hitter Nyjer Morgan (hip) the past two nights. Morgan originally injured his hip on July 21 and had been playing through the pain.
Morgan is hitting .261 and ranks second in the National League with 29 steals.
Left-hander John Lannan (2-5, 5.62 ERA) starts tonight for Washington. Lannan spent six weeks in the minors before returning on Aug. 1 to face Philadelphia. He gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings and wasn’t involved in the decision.