Jason Heyward was scratched from the Dodgers lineup in their final spring training game on Tuesday with what the team called lower back tightness.
After the game — a 4-3 loss to the Angels — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided an update on Heyward.
“Jason’s fine,” Roberts said. “There was something during batting practice — he kind of strained his lower back — and for me, he’s taken plenty of at-bats, so to kind of scratch him late, not a big deal.”
Heyward was replaced by Chris Taylor in the lineup on Tuesday, but Roberts is confident he’ll be back in the lineup on Thursday when the Dodgers re-open their regular season at home against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“He’ll come in tomorrow, get some treatment and he’ll be ready to go on Thursday,” Roberts said.
Heyward figures to be an everyday player against right-handed pitching for the Dodgers this season.
He had a solid spring — slashing .250/.276/.429 — and went 2-for-6 in Korea with two runs batted in and three runs scored.
It sounds like Heyward will be back in the Dodgers’ lineup on Opening Day with the right-handed Miles Mikolas on the mound for St. Louis.
Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
