Angels' Howie Kendrick goes on disabled list with strained left hamstring
ANGELS FYI
The second baseman missed six weeks earlier in the season with a similar injury. He says the injury doesn't hurt as much as the first time, but his postseason status could be in doubt.
Howie Kendrick was placed on the 15-day disabled list today because of a strained left hamstring, an injury that is similar to the one that knocked the second baseman out for six weeks in April and May.
But this injury could jeopardize Kendrick's chances of playing in the postseason.
"We have 30 games left -- hopefully he'll be available sometime in September," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "It's not to the extreme that he hurt it in Seattle [on April 13], but he's definitely going to be out for a couple of weeks."
Kendrick actually suffered the injury while lunging for the first base bag on a run-scoring fielder's choice in the fourth inning of Wednesday night's game against Oakland.
He remained in the game, but after rounding second on Mark Teixeira's ensuing single, Kendrick knew he was not fit enough to continue, and he was pulled from the game.
"It just grabbed a little bit, nowhere near to the extent of the first time," said Kendrick, who is batting .308 with 26 doubles and 37 runs batted in and was just promoted to the second spot in the order. "They think I might have aggravated some scar tissue, but it doesn't feel as bad. Hopefully, I'll be back sooner."
Kendrick will be shut down for at least two weeks to give the hamstring time to heal. He probably came back too soon from his first hamstring strain, aggravating the injury during a minor league rehabilitation assignment in early May.
"I hope I only miss a couple of weeks, but the bigger picture is, I want to be out there at the end of the year," Kendrick said. "I don't want to rip it up. I'm going to be smart, listen to what Mike and the trainers say. Coming back right now wouldn't be smart."
Brandon Wood was called up from triple-A Salt Lake and was in tonight's lineup at shortstop.
The Angels also lost shortstop Erick Aybar to a left hamstring strain in the ninth inning Wednesday night. Aybar said the hamstring was "still a little tight, but better" today.
Scioscia said Aybar's status is "a little longer than day to day, he's going to need a little bit of time," but with rosters expanding on Monday, the Angels decided not to place Aybar on the DL.
Third baseman Chone Figgins returned to the lineup today after missing Wednesday's game because of a left big toe irritation.
A season-ending thumb injury to shortstop Maicer Izturis had already prompted the Angels to pursue a middle infielder, and the team has targeted Toronto's John McDonald, David Eckstein and Marco Scutaro, Baltimore's Juan Castro and Cleveland's Jamey Carroll.
"We've been looking over the past few days to add middle-infield depth," General Manager Tony Reagins said. "With the injuries we suffered [Wednesday] night, we're taking a stronger and harder look."
But when asked if he was getting warm on anything, Reagins said, "No."
mike.digiovanna@latimes.com
