Dave Roberts’ Los Angeles Dodgers entered Tuesday with just a one-game division lead over the rival San Diego Padres and a month left in the season. After winning the last three games, they acquired their most needed win to set up a chance to sweep the series against the Cincinnati Reds. But everything didn’t go as they expected.

After falling behind early, the Dodgers’ offense exploded with a four-run rally in the sixth inning. After that, Alex Call, the Dodgers’ trade deadline addition, pinch hit for Michael Conforto and hit into a fielder’s choice and then scored on a Miguel Rojas two-run double in the same inning, giving the Dodgers a 5-1 lead. Then, suddenly, Call left the game and Justin Dean replaced him; Roberts later said Call experienced lower-back discomfort and that the club did not view it as too concerning, and the team planned to evaluate treatment the next day.

After the Dodgers secured the 6-3 win, Roberts provided a crucial, if not cautious, update on his outfielder. “Something happened with his, uh, I think it was his lower back,” Dave Roberts said.  “And so he says that he’s played through worse, but, you know, my hope was to get him in there tomorrow.”

“So, I want to get him out of the game, get [Justin] Dean in there,” Roberts continued. “And we’ll see how he kind of responds to treatment tomorrow, but I don’t think it’s too concerning.” 

The Dodgers specifically acquired him from the Washington Nationals on July 31st. They needed a solid right-handed bat to platoon in the outfield position, as they traded outfielder James Outman to the Twins for Brock Stewart. Through July 31 with the Washington Nationals, Call was hitting .274/.371/.386 in 237 plate appearances, and most importantly, against left-handed pitchers this season, Call is about .310/.354/.471 in ~99 plate appearances.

And he has been even better, hitting a robust .286 (10-for-35) through his first 18 games since joining the Boys in Blue.

Roster Ripples… What Call’s absence means for Dave Roberts’ team

Call’s injury directly impacts the carefully planned platoon system in the outfield. Without Call, the Dodgers will face a difficult choice between struggling veteran Michael Conforto, who was hitting below .200, and a less-proven rookie like Justin Dean.

The Dodgers have one more option in utility man Kike Hernandez, who was activated in Monday’s game and is playing after nearly two months. Hernandez started at third base, but he can play in multiple positions in the outfield. If Call is out for longer and rookie Dean doesn’t click, then we can see a platoon of Hernandez and Conforto in left field in the final months of the season.

And the Dodgers have other injuries to worry about, also. Another outfielder, Tommy Edman, has been out of the lineup on the 10-day IL since 4 August due to a Right ankle sprain. Other key players like Max Muncy and Hyeseong Kim are also on the injured list. But there is some good news, like the fact that RHP Kirby Yates was activated from the 15-day IL on Aug. 23, and Blake Snell—who had recently returned from the injured list—was briefly placed on and then reinstated from the paternity list

But still, we can’t ignore that the seemingly minor injury of a late-season acquisition player has suddenly exposed the Dodgers’ vulnerability. And this season Dave Roberts’s boys will surely face a different kind of postseason matchup from the newly motivated Friars. Though they will not face each other in the remaining days of the regular season, can they overcome another key injury to hold on to the division?