PHOENIX — Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford was out of the lineup for a second consecutive game on Sunday with a “tight right side,” manager Don Mattingly said.
Mattingly is faced with squeezing four stars into three outfield spots, but he said Sunday’s decision was easy because of Crawford’s health.
Mattingly, however, said the issue was minor and he expected Crawford to be fine by Tuesday, when play resumes in San Francisco.
Dodgertown to host Jackie Robinson Celebration Game
PHOENIX — The first Jackie Robinson Celebration Game will be played Tuesday at Holman Stadium at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla., matching Class A Advanced Florida State League teams Lakeland (Tigers) and Brevard County (Brewers).
Net proceeds of the game will benefit the United Way of Indian River County (admission is $5).
Fay Vincent, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1989-92, will address the crowd pregame about the Hall of Famer Robinson.
The game is being played on the same date Robinson broke the color barrier 67 years ago, now recognized as Jackie Robinson Day across Major League Baseball.
Mattingly coy on Wilson’s possible Tuesday return
PHOENIX — Reliever Brian Wilson is eligible to be activated off the disabled list on Tuesday when the Dodgers face his former Giants teammates, but manager Don Mattingly on Sunday wouldn’t say if the move will happen.
“It sounds like he feels ready to go,” Mattingly said. “No reason to make a decision to talk about today. We’ll have to make a move.”
Unless a timely injury develops, the move won’t be a simple one if the Dodgers keep the pitching staff at 12. Kenley Jansen closes, Chris Perez and J.P. Howell set up. Jamey Wright has been effective as the long man.
Chris Withrow and Paco Rodriguez have options, but both have been dominating. That leaves the inconsistent Brandon League, but the Dodgers owe him roughly $14 million guaranteed through 2015 and cannot option him to the Minors.
One possibility for management would be to wait and see how Josh Beckett and Paul Maholm fare in their starts Tuesday and Wednesday nights before making a roster move. Beckett lasted four innings in his only start last Wednesday, Maholm went 4 1/3 innings in his only start on April 5 before making two one-inning relief appearances.
Wilson was placed on the DL after a rough outing in the domestic opener on March 31. He had previously taken two weeks off to rebuild arm strength after irritating an elbow nerve rushing to be ready during a compressed Spring Training.
Dodgers insert Maholm for series with Giants
PHOENIX — Josh Beckett, Paul Maholm and Hyun-Jin Ryu, in order, will start the three games of the upcoming series in San Francisco, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly announced on Sunday.
Probable starting pitchers are generally not a revelation for a club with a normal starting rotation. But since the injury of ace Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers don’t have a normal rotation. And the Dodgers in recent years tend to delay such announcements as long as possible, believing the uncertainty puts opponents at a disadvantage.
With Monday an off-day, Mattingly said by using Maholm on Wednesday he’s able to give Ryu and Zack Greinke an extra day of rest. Greinke will start the homestand opener on Friday night against Arizona.
Mattingly said “it is tempting to move everybody up” and have Ryu and Greinke face the Giants on regular rest, but added that he’s “managing for the whole season and keeping guys strong. With the off-days, we want to take care of guys as much as we could.”
He said one consideration was to have Greinke pitch Thursday on regular rest and give Ryu two extra days of rest, starting him against the D-backs, who have not scored a run off him in the last 19 innings.
The Dodgers will have had five days off in a 15-day span when they open their series on Tuesday, which begins a 13-game stretch without days off. The Dodgers are next off on April 28, then play another 16 consecutive days. That stretch ends May 14, with the possibility of Kershaw returning by then.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.