The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes won’t be eating as well tomorrow as they have the past two days. That much is certain.
As for when rehabbing shortstop Hanley Ramirez — who foot the bill on the Quakes’ clubhouse spread this weekend — will return to the Dodgers, that’s less certain. It might come as early as tomorrow, when the Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies.
“I think anything’s possible, the way he looked last night,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Ramirez played six innings, went 1 for 3 with two RBIs, and high-fived a mascot last night in Rancho Cucamonga. The Quakes play again today at 2 p.m. (audio feed here).
Mattingly said there’s really no frame of reference for projecting when Ramirez will return. Some players need more at-bats to get their timing back than others (Mattingly cited George Brett as a classic example of someone who didn’t need much).
Dodgers assistant athletic trainer Greg Harrel will be at the game. The determining factor in where Ramirez plays Monday, Mattingly said, is “if medical says this guy’s ready to play.”
Ramirez won’t be in Rancho Cucamonga tomorrow. The Quakes get the day off while traveling to Stockton. If Ramirez needs another rehab game after today’s, “he’d have to go to Albuquerque,” Mattingly said. “That would be the choice.”
The Albuquerque Isotopes kick off an eight-game homestand starting Monday.