LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers return to the City of Angels and the confines of Chavez Ravine on Tuesday for their 2016 MLB Home Opener after dropping three of four in San Francisco to the rival Giants.
Thankfully for Los Angeles, reinforcements are on the way as the team announced on Tuesday that catcher Yasmani Grandal and second baseman Howie Kendrick have been reinstated from the 15-day disabled list.
Grandal has had a lingering forearm injury throughout spring training, but played in Triple-A Oklahoma City last week and experience no pain or tightness. He's not expected to be in the lineup in the home opener, as A.J. Ellis will likely get the start, but Grandal is available to pinch-hit if needed.
Kendrick, strained his left calf in the final week of spring training and has been resting/rehabbing in Arizona ever since. Kendrick played a couple games in Single-A Rancho Cucamonga last week and is expected to start at second base against the left-handed Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks.
To make room for Grandal and Kendrick on the active roster, outfielder, Scott Van Slyke was placed on the 15-day disabled list with lower back irritation, and infielder Micah Johnson was optioned down to Triple-A.
Van Slyke injured himself at the plate on an attempted swing in the Dodgers 3-2 come from behind victory over the Giants on Saturday.
