Dodgers purchase Jamie Romak’s contract from Triple-A, place Carl Crawford on 15-day DL.

Prepare for a Canadian invasion when the Dodgers host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

New Dodgers third baseman Jamie Romak waited almost 11 years from the time he was drafted until the time he was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster Wednesday. A veteran of 1,069 minor-league games, Romak joined the Dodgers on Wednesday as Carl Crawford was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle.

After such a long wait to reach the major leagues, what’s a little flight from London, Ontario, Canada to Los Angeles for Romak’s wife? Or his mom, sister, brother and friends?

“Once it sunk in it was really emotional,” the 28-year-old said. “I called my wife, my mom and she started crying. I started tearing up. Everything you wish it would be.”
Continue reading “Dodgers purchase Jamie Romak’s contract from Triple-A, place Carl Crawford on 15-day DL.” »

Matt Kemp starts in left field against the Cincinnati Reds.

Matt Kemp is starting in left field against the Cincinnati Reds, ending his 5-day hiatus from the starting lineup. It’s his first start in left field since June 21, 2006 — the 21st game of Kemp’s career. Today’s game will be his 1,010th.

Kemp bats sixth, with Andre Ethier batting second and the usual heart of the order intact against Reds right-hander Homer Bailey.

The full lineups for both teams:

Dee Gordon 2B
Andre Ethier CF
Yasiel Puig RF
Hanley Ramirez SS
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Matt Kemp LF
Justin Turner 3B
Drew Butera C
Clayton Kershaw P

Billy Hamilton CF
Todd Frazier 3B
Brandon Phillips 2B
Devin Mesoraco C
Jay Bruce RF
Ryan Ludwick LF
Brayan Pena 1B
Zack Cozart SS
Homer Bailey RHP

Carl Crawford leaves Dodgers’ game against Cincinnati with a sprained left ankle. Update.

Carl Crawford

Carl Crawford limps off the field after suffering a sprained left ankle in the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. (Getty Images)

Carl Crawford sprained his left ankle in the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ game against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night. The 32-year-old rolled the ankle on the turf while fielding Chris Heisey‘s double into the left-field corner. He had to be helped off the field by head athletic trainer Stan Conte and was replaced by Scott Van Slyke.

A picture of Crawford’s ankle as the injury occurred can be found here.

Update (11:15 p.m.): Crawford said he will be placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday.

“I think it’s going to take a while,” he said.

The injury is severe enough that Crawford entered the Dodgers’ clubhouse after the game in a wheelchair. He then limped into the showers and came back to his locker wearing a protective boot.
Continue reading “Carl Crawford leaves Dodgers’ game against Cincinnati with a sprained left ankle. Update.” »

Matt Kemp is out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup for the fifth straight game. When will he return?

Matt Kemp Don Mattingly

Matt Kemp wasn’t in the Dodgers’nstarting lineup for the fifth straight game Tuesday. (Keith Birmingham/Pasadena Star-News)

Don Mattingly and Matt Kemp had diverging opinions Monday about Kemp’s health, and that storyline isn’t going to go away anytime soon.

However, the gap between the two might be eased if Kemp gets penciled in to the starting lineup. For the fifth straight day, that didn’t happen. Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier and Yasiel Puig are manning the three outfield positions against the Cincinnati Reds.

Kemp said he took fly balls in left field Tuesday afternoon. When asked how long, he replied “doesn’t matter.” He wasn’t smiling.

Even the usually affable Mattingly got a bit testy when pressed about Kemp’s situation.
Continue reading “Matt Kemp is out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup for the fifth straight game. When will he return?” »

A.J. Ellis sprains ankle celebrating Josh Beckett’s no-hitter, goes on 15-day disabled list.

A.J. Ellis sprained ankle

A.J. Ellis (second from right) said he sprained his right ankle immediately after this photo was taken, when he landed on Drew Butera’s catcher’s mask on the turf in Philadelphia. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)


A.J. Ellis spoke in somber tones Monday as he described one of baseball’s all-time freak injuries. An old adage was certainly at play: It’s only funny if it doesn’t happen to you.

Ellis sprained his ankle Sunday while the Dodgers ran out to congratulate Josh Beckett for his no-hitter at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Ellis didn’t catch the game — Drew Butera did — but Ellis leaped and landed on Butera’s discarded catcher’s mask in the midst of the celebration.

“I knew right away it was more significant than other ankle rolls I’ve had in the past,” Ellis said. “I immediately came in, saw (Dodgers head athletic trainer) Stan Conte, got an x-ray which came back negative, treated it the entire flight home yesterday, and came in this morning.

“I woke up and called Stan this morning I didn’t think I would be able to play the next few days just because of the way I felt. Probably best for the club to get another catcher up here. So I’m beyond frustrated, still kind of shocked and just ready to get back in the rhythm of things, whenever that might be.”

The Dodgers recalled Tim Federowicz from Triple-A Albuquerque with Ellis on the 15-day disabled list. Ellis was scheduled to meet with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache to determine the severity of the injury and a timetable for recovery.
Continue reading “A.J. Ellis sprains ankle celebrating Josh Beckett’s no-hitter, goes on 15-day disabled list.” »