Scott Van Slyke starts against righty for second day in a row

By Jon Weisman

Scott Van Slyke is making his second consecutive start in center field with a right-handed pitcher on the mound tonight, in large part because of lingering physical issues for Andre Ethier.

Van Slyke has a .409 on-base percentage and .545 slugging percentage this season. Most of that production has come against lefties (.442/.683), but he has improved enough of late against righties to bring his OBP and slugging to .375 and .410. Van Slyke has two homers against righties this month.

Ethier had an OBP and slugging of .400 and .636 in 35 plate appearances from June 24-July 4, before going 0 for 10 in his last three games. Against righties, Ethier is at .318/.402, far off his career numbers against northpaws of .384/.510.

“We’re still trying to take care of him,” Dodger manager Don Mattingly said of Ethier. “He’s still having soreness all over the place … some leg issues and some other issues. We’re just trying to make sure, going into the (All-Star) break, hopefully we get him out of that. And on the back side of that, Scotty’s playing well.”

Neither Van Slyke nor Ethier has looked particularly dextrous in center field except for balls hit at or in front of them.

“I just think in general, Andre doesn’t seem to have the same energy (he normally has),” Mattingly said. “He just hasn’t felt good, body-wise. … It’s just lots of little things, and one thing is the building block to another, and to compensate you’ve got another issue.”

Carl Crawford, like Matt Kemp, is not considered a center-field option for Mattingly, who did say that Crawford would get a start this weekend (in left).

Joc Pederson, meanwhile, is back in the Triple-A Albuquerque lineup, going 4 for 7 with a double, triple and walk in his first two games. All three outs he has made have been strikeouts.

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Other notes from Mattingly:

• Today’s action will determine Saturday’s starter. There’s an increased possibility Paul Maholm will start Saturday if not needed tonight. Otherwise, the Dodgers could be looking at a Red Patterson callup.
• Justin Turner is improving and is expected to get numerous this weekend at-bats for the Dodgers at their Arizona facility.
• Chone Figgins had a heavy day Thursday, was a little sore today but is progressing.