The Los Angeles Dodgers will have a new leadoff man when new acquisition Shane Victorino arrives before Wednesday's series finale with the Arizona Diamondbacks. But that doesn't mean shortstop Dee Gordon is out of the team's plans.
There has been some talk since the club acquired Hanley Ramirez last week that the former Miami Marlins shortstop would return to his old position with the Dodgers. Though Ramirez has played exclusively third base in seven games as a Dodger, he has taken pregame grounders at shortstop for four days and manager Don Mattingly said once Ramirez moved to shortstop Mattingly would keep him there.
But Mattingly clarified on Tuesday that he meant he would keep Ramirez at shortstop only until Gordon returns from the disabled list. Gordon tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb on July 4 and is currently still in a cast. Mattingly said Gordon could miss up to a month, which would put him in line for a September return.
But when Gordon returns, Mattingly said, the club plans to continue to have Gordon play shortstop.
Gordon is hitting .229/.280/.282 on the season, and with Victorino on the team the Dodgers don't need to try and fit Gordon's speed into a position at which he does not fit, at leadoff.
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