Mattingly fine with platooning outfielders
Ruggiano, Heisey filling in admirably for injured players
PHOENIX -- Because of the players he can use, and the ones he's can't, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has been forced to platoon outfielders down the stretch.
And he's OK with that.
With right-handed hitters Yasiel Puig and Kiké Hernandez on the disabled list with hamstring injuries, right-handed-hitting outfielders Justin Ruggiano and Chris Heisey were reacquired and have seen playing time, as they did Friday night when both started, along with Scott Van Slyke, against Arizona left-handed starter Robbie Ray.
Ruggiano hit a grand slam in the ninth inning of the 12-4 loss to the D-backs.
"We're just matching up with the lefty," said Mattingly. "You can see what we're doing, not quite with all three spots, but definitely in left and right [fields] we can do it, with Carl [Crawford] and Andre [Ethier] against right-handers, and Van Slyke in there. I like the platoon situation."
Ruggiano has been the standout, going 6-for-15 with three homers, 10 RBIs and an OPS of 1.604 in six games.