Dodgers starting catcher Yasmani Grandal was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list and recalled Austin Barnes from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Grandal was struck in the head twice last night in the Dodgers 2-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. He was hit with the bat in the back swing of a Padres' hitter in the third inning and then on the mask an inning later after a foul ball hit him in the head.
"He knew exactly where he was, but when he went up to hit, he stepped out twice," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "We thought it was a little funny. Stan [Conte] was concerned after that at-bat so we got him out of there."
Grandal becomes the second star player to be placed on DL because of the new MLB concussion policy. Houston Astros slugger George Springer was placed on the seven-day concussion DL after running into a wall earlier in the month.
"We have to take it very seriously, we've seen all the NFL stuff regarding concussions," continued Mattingly. "We know a lot more and we take it more seriously now when catchers take shots off the mask."
A.J. Ellis will be inserted into the team's starting lineup against San Diego on Saturday and Barnes is expected to arrived before the first pitch as the second catcher. Earlier in the day, super utility player, Enrique Hernandez, posted a picture of himself catching and Mattingly confirmed that the 23-year-old Puerto Rican product would be the emergency catcher until Grandal returns.
Barnes is expected to make his Dodgers debut on Sunday afternoon as Mattingly typically switches catchers on day games that follow night games. Barnes is from Riverside, California, and was hitting .290 in 29 games at Triple-A.
