Los Angeles Dodgers Place Andre Ethier on DL

They were mulling it over, and now it seems they’ve made a decision.  The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed

Andre Ethier on the 15-day DL with a strained oblique.  According to Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles, the Dodgers made the move retroactive to June 28th.  They were trying to hold off on making the move as long as possible in hopes that Ethier could return to the lineup after some rest.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

"“We just thought it was the wise decision at this point,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “The best-case scenario was getting to be Friday and we have a day game on Saturday and Sunday, which you wouldn’t ask him to do after coming off this, so it didn’t seem to make any sense.”"

Ethier was asked to participate in the Home Run Derby by his teammate and National League team captain Matt Kemp, but had to decline due to the injury.  Kemp himself is battling injury but has committed to playing in the Derby.  Ethier was swinging a hot stick earlier in the year, but cooled off a bit when Kemp went to the DL.

Ethier is batting .291/.357/.491 this season.  He has 10 home runs and 55 RBI.  The Dodgers, who just recaptured the lead in the NL West by a half a game, will miss Ethier and Kemp as they try to maintain their division lead.

For more on the Dodgers, be sure to check out Lasorda’s Lair.