During Monday’s recreation towards the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Kendall George may have sustained a serious knee injury after leaping out of the best way of the Tulsa Drillers’ bat dog.
The injury occurred within the backside of the second inning. With George on base, Josue De Paula singled, bringing George house. As George handed the plate and slowed his momentum, the staff’s bat dog shot out of the dugout to retrieve De Paula’s bat. The dog got here shut sufficient to George that the outfielder felt compelled to leap out of the best way.
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When he landed, George appeared to injure his knee and was grimacing in ache as he limped close to the dugout.
The injury has the Drillers planning to droop their bat dog program, per Jack Harris.
An preliminary MRI revealed that George didn’t maintain ligament injury, in accordance with ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. Both he and the Dodgers are awaiting a second opinion, although there’s hope he may keep away from surgical procedure.
The Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate is without doubt one of the few minor-league groups that makes use of a bat dog throughout video games. The dog is tasked with choosing up discarded bats on the sphere and bringing them again to the dugout. The Trenton Thunder — a minor-league affiliate of the New York Yankees — are identified for using a bat dog.
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George, 21, was off to a superb begin in his first style of Double-A. Through 43 video games, the outfielder is hitting .333/.417/.397. He’s additionally racked up 26 stolen bases.
George, who was chosen by the staff within the first spherical of the 2023 MLB Draft, has steadily labored his method up by means of the minor leagues, flashing elite pace and excessive batting averages throughout his ascent.
Given that almost all of his worth derives from his legs, a knee injury can be a devastating consequence for George and the staff. Had he continued to play effectively within the minors, George had an out of doors shot at reaching the majors this season.
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Now, he may very well be a prolonged stint on the injured record due to a freak incident.