Adrian Gonzalez Injury: Updates on Dodgers Star's Back and Return
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez suffered a back injury on May 16 against the Los Angeles Angels. It's unclear when he'll return to the field.
Continue for updates.
Gonzalez Out vs. Angels
Thursday, May 19
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times confirmed Gonzalez won't play against the Angels on Thursday.
Reliable Gonzalez Crucial to Dodgers Offense
Gonzalez is one of Major League Baseball's most durable players, appearing in at least 156 games every season since 2006. He's also one of the Dodgers' most valuable offensive weapons, leading the team in homers and RBI each of the last three years.
The Dodgers' All-Star first baseman was banged up down the stretch last season, having been taken out of the lineup during a series against the Colorado Rockies due to back problems.
It was a lingering problem that's altered Gonzalez's performance in the second half of 2015, as his slugging percentage dropped nearly 100 points in the second half. That drop in power has continued into this season, with the former All-Star slugging .408 percent coming into Monday, but he's still hitting for average and getting on base.
The Dodgers don't have a deep lineup around Gonzalez, though Chase Utley has been surprisingly strong so far and rookie Corey Seager is slowly coming into his own.
The Dodgers are facing stiff competition in the National League West, as San Francisco and Arizona made big improvements in the offseason, so losing a hitter as consistent and reliable as Gonzalez alters the division's dynamic.
