LOS ANGELES — Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward won’t be available in Monday night’s series opener against the Giants, dealing with back tightness.
Heyward left Dodger Stadium about three hours before first pitch. Manager Dave Roberts said Heyward went to see Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles for further testing. The injury first popped up last Tuesday, when he was scratched from the exhibition Freeway Series finale against the Angels in Anaheim after his back tightened during batting practice.
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“Yesterday as he was getting loose during the game, he just had a harder time getting ready,” Roberts said Monday. “Today he came in a little sore, stiff, so we decided to give him a day. He won’t be available tonight, and we’ll see tomorrow how he comes out.”
Heyward was originally in the Dodgers lineup in right field and batting eighth on Monday against Giants starter Keaton Winn. Facing right-handers is the usual plan with the lefty-hitting Heyward, who had a bounceback season in his first year in Los Angeles in 2023. He hit .269/.340/.473 with 15 home runs and a 121 wRC+, with 92.6 percent of his plate appearances coming against right-handers.
Heyward this season has three singles in 14 at-bats plus a sacrifice fly in four games, including 1-for-8 over the weekend against the Cardinals after his back tightness first surfaced.
With Heyward out, Chris Taylor starts in left field on Monday, batting eighth, with Teoscar Hernández shifting over to right field.
Roberts said there was nobody en route from Triple-A Oklahoma City to potential take Heyward’s place on the roster just yet, as the Dodgers await results of testing.