Dodgers fans are happy to hear that star outfielder Yasiel Puig is making great progress with his injured hamstring, and a rehab assignment is underway. The Dodgers have kept on chugging without him, however, and when he returns someone has to lose playing time.
Which players will be most affected by the return of Los Angeles’ “Wild Horse?”
Alex Guerrero
Puig’s Cuban compatriot has helped pick up the slack since his hamstring injury felled him, playing mostly left field and slashing .297/.333/.683 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI. 2014 was disappointing for the hyped prospect, but in 2015 he has gotten comfortable in the United States and thrived. He plans on doing the same for new teammate Hector Olivera, who is currently in the minors but is expected to arrive at the MLB level shortly. For now, once Puig returns Guerrero is likely to shift to third base, or play instead of Andre Ethier when a southpaw is on the mound.
Justin Turner
Turner, a Swiss Army Knife infielder throughout his MLB career, has had the best season of his career with regular playing time at the hot corner. Injuries to Puig and Carl Crawford necessitated Guerrero’s use in left field, leaving third base to a platoon between Turner and Juan Uribe. Turner excelled, and now Uribe is gone. Once Puig is back though, Turner is the one likely to lose the most playing time. Expect Guerrero to take over at third base, and expect the situation to become even more crowded once Olivera is ready to debut.
Hector Olivera
Olivera is a wildcard in all this. The Cuban was signed this offseason to a six-year, $62.5 million contract so it’s safe to assume the Dodgers want the 29-year-old infielder in uniform sooner rather than later. Olivera comes with a reputation for having a big bat based off his time in Cuba, but he has had recent elbow troubles, and missed all of the 2014 season with a blood clot in his arm.
Once Olivera debuts, he will pose a huge threat to Turner’s playing time, and will probably eat into Guerrero’s playing time as well. The alternative to that is allowing Olivera to take over as the team’s shortstop, and relegate veteran Jimmy Rollins to the bench. That’s hard to imagine given Rollins’ stature, but he’s only hitting .211 and reaching base at a sub-.300 clip.
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