Verdugo, Pollock out of lineup with injuries

LOS ANGELES -- Injuries kept outfielders Alex Verdugo and AJ Pollock out of Monday night’s starting lineup against the Cardinals.

Verdugo was scratched from the lineup for the second time in less than a week with recurring lower back tightness. Kristopher Negrón started in center field. Verdugo went 1-for-5 on Sunday and scored on Max Muncy’s walkoff double, but was unable to take the field on Monday. The same thing happened Thursday, after Verdugo went 4-for-4 in Colorado on Wednesday.

“I definitely don’t think it’s severe,” manager Dave Roberts said of Verdugo’s injury. “But where we’re at, putting him at jeopardy at all to make it a longer issue, we’re just trying to guard against that. He came in today and felt good, but it didn’t loosen up the way he wanted it to.”

Coincidental or not, in his last 13 games Verdugo’s OPS has dropped 40 points and he has only two extra-base hits, both doubles, one fielded by the second baseman.

Pollock, who returned to the lineup with a big game on Sunday after missing two games with groin discomfort, was out of the lineup again on Monday. He tested the leg running the bases hooked to a device in a fanny pack. Matt Beaty started in left field.

“This groin issue he’s been dealing with, still feels it a little bit, we’ll re-evaluate for tomorrow’s game but he’s available tonight,” said Roberts.

Worth noting
Roberts said the club still projects for Julio Urías to be a starter next year, but he remains a reliever for now. Roberts said if that doesn’t change, using Urias in back-to-back games for the first time is being discussed.

Roberts was noncommittal about the role for Rich Hill when he returns from a strained flexor tendon next month.