The Los Angeles Dodgers placed Yoshi Tsutsugo on the 10-day injured list on June 9 with a right calf strain and are yet to indicate when he might be activated.
Nevertheless, nearly three weeks later, Tsutsugo is improving while on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City. “He’s getting better each day,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently said.
“He’s playing every day, he’s taking at-bats, so each day is getting better. In a week, I think we’ll evaluate as an organization where he’s at physically and performance-wise.”
The Dodgers acquired Tsutsugo from the Tampa Bay Rays on May 15 when he was designated for assignment after hitting .167/.244/.218 in 26 games.
In his 10 seasons playing in the Nippon Professional Baseball league, Tsutsugo hit 205 home runs with a .910 on-base plus slugging percentage. The Dodgers believed they could help him find some of the success that made him a star in Japan.
However, Tsutsugo still struggled for L.A. as he batted .120/.290/.120 in 12 games before being placed on the IL. There is still hope that Tsutsugo could become an effective Major League hitter because swing changes take time.
Roberts previously expressed a belief time on the IL and rehab could benefit Tsutsugo as he tries to find the “good stuff” from his swing in Japan.
When he is fully healthy, the Dodgers plan to add Tsutsugo back to their active roster.
“That’s the hope,” Roberts said. “Once he’s healthy and swinging it well, that’s the hope.”
Dodgers hit pause with Seager
The Dodgers planned on having Corey Seager begin his rehab assignment last week but that changed after his right hand was sore as a result of taking batting practice.
Seager has been out since May 16 with a fracture and could be sidelined through the All-Star break.
“With fractures, every person is different as far as the healing process,” Roberts said. “He’s on his progression, but it could take some time. I think it’s one of those things that’s got to heal properly and then we’ll get him out. I just don’t have any clarity.”
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