LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers activated catcher Russell Martin off the injured list on Saturday and optioned Rocky Gale to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Martin returns after nearly three weeks healing from a lower back strain he aggravated on April 9, an injury he originally sustained in Spring Training.
Martin was able to return without needing a Minor League rehab assignment after passing a simulated game test on Friday. Prior to the injury, Martin played in six games for the Dodgers, batting .333 (5-for-15) with a homer and two RBIs.
“Russell feels good coming out of yesterday and looking at their [the Pirates’] bullpen, with lefties [Francisco] Liriano and [Felipe] Vasquez are available, so if it’s a minus game, you have the potential of having Russell off the bench,” said manager Dave Roberts. “It’s a luxury, but his body feels good enough to be activated.”
Martin will start behind the plate on Sunday and catch Rich Hill, who will make his 2019 debut after missing the first month of the season with a strained left knee. Roberts indicated there are no pitch restrictions on Hill.
Roberts also said that third baseman Justin Turner will not be in the lineup for Sunday’s day game after the Saturday night game. But A.J. Pollock, who was not in the starting lineup Saturday night, will return on Sunday.
“Staggering the guys to play two out of three is kind of my thing,” said Roberts, who started Alex Verdugo in center field for Pollock and also started Chris Taylor at second base for Enrique Hernandez on Saturday.
Despite Verdugo’s strong start, coupled with Pollock’s slow start, Roberts gave no indication that Pollock is in any danger of losing his starting job.
“I think it’s way too small a sample,” said Roberts. “With him in the batter’s box, I trust. Layering in who we have on the bench, that night’s pitcher and how he’s swinging recently. Going forward, yeah, he’s a guy we see in there all the time, righties or lefties.
“We wanted to keep [Verdugo] involved as a fourth outfielder, which we’ve done the first few weeks. Now you bring into his performance, consistency, quality of at-bat and defense, as the season goes on you gather more information. I can’t predict how it will play out, but these guys will continue to get at-bats, and as long as Alex continues to capitalize, it will be more at-bats. When you play for the Dodgers and play in the big leagues, that’s what this is about.”
Newcombe honored
Prior to Saturday night’s game, the Dodgers honored the late Don Newcombe with his induction as one of the inaugural members of Legends of Dodger Baseball. The ceremony included Newcombe’s widow, Karen, and Roberts. A plaque commemorating his induction into Legends of Dodger Baseball will be temporarily displayed on the Top Deck as well as the display case on the Club Level. Newcombe died Feb. 19 at age 92.