With the Dodgers currently in an offensive funk — really, it ought to be labeled a depression at this point — they received some good news Monday, in that Rafael Furcal could start a rehabilitation assignment as soon as Wednesday, per Tony Jackson of ESPN Los Angeles.
↵Furcal is having a career year, second among major league shortstops (to Troy Tulowitzki of Colorado) with at least 250 plate appearances in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.380), and slugging percentage (.492). However, he has battled injuries all season. He is currently on the disabled list with a lower back strain, and missed nearly a month earlier in the season with a strained left hamstring. Furcal has started just 72 of 119 games this season.
↵There is also a chance that Manny Ramirez may join him in a rehab assignment, perhaps at Class A Inland Empire. Per Jackson:
↵↵The Dodgers offense has sorely missed the production of both Furcal and Ramirez. Since the All-Star break, the club has scored 3.10 runs per game in 31 contests.Even if Ramirez is ready to start a rehab on Wednesday, because he has basically been out since June 29 — he was knocked out of a game in the first inning that night with a right-hamstring injury, came back for one game on July 15, then was knocked out in the first inning again on July 16 with a right-calf injury — his rehab likely will be longer than Furcal’s.
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