Dodgers SS Ramirez returns from DL
The Los Angeles Dodgers activated Hanley Ramirez from the disabled list Monday, but the shortstop wasn't in the starting lineup for that night's game against the Colorado Rockies.
Ramirez had been out since tearing a ligament in his right thumb during the final game of the World Baseball Classic in March. He underwent surgery last month, and he wound up returning to the Dodgers far faster than the team originally anticipated.
In two games on a rehab assignment with Class A Rancho Cucamonga, Ramirez went a combined 3-for-6 with three RBIs on Saturday and Sunday.
"I was honestly surprised how good his timing looked at the plate," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of Ramirez's performance in the rehab games.
Ramirez was expected to be the Dodgers' shortstop this year, the position he manned after arriving in a trade with the Miami Marlins last July. Formerly an All-Star shortstop, Ramirez had spent the previous 1 1/2 seasons as the Marlins' third baseman.
To clear a spot for Ramirez on the roster, the Dodgers placed left-hander Clayton Kershaw on the bereavement list. The team announced Kershaw is dealing with a family issue but gave no details. The move to the bereavement list means Kershaw will be out three to seven days. He started Sunday, so he might return without missing a start.
