Sore hip forces Puig to bench vs. Rockies

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, nursing a bruised left hip, was out of the lineup on Saturday against the Rockies after playing through the injury for over a week.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said he was unsure if Puig would be available off the bench.

"He has some tightness in that area and we just don't want to take any chances with him," Mattingly said. "We'll see how he is tomorrow."

Puig said his hip has bothered him since he slammed his left leg into the right-field fence in Colorado on July 3. The rookie remained in the lineup until Saturday. He aggravated the injury on Thursday and was removed after seven innings. Puig did enough before Friday's game to convince management he could play, but had a noticeable limp and was pulled after four innings.

"He can't try to be a hero and try to play if he can't really play," Mattingly said.

In just one week, the Dodgers outfield has been hampered by injuries. In addition to Puig, Carl Crawford has a sore lower back that's kept him out of the lineup four straight games and Matt Kemp went on the disabled list Monday with a shoulder issue.

"All of a sudden I went from four outfielders last week in San Francisco, to one [Andre Ethier]," Mattingly said. "That's not really what we envisioned."

Ethier started in center Saturday, with Jerry Hairston Jr. in left field and Skip Schumaker in right.