DENVER -- Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado was held out of the starting lineup Saturday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of a right shoulder strain, though the Rockies remain hopeful the injury won't result in a trip to the disabled list.
"He got looked at by our medical staff. They all seem to think that this is something minor," manager Bud Black said before Saturday's 3-2 win. "Hopefully this resolves itself quickly where he can get back on the diamond as an infielder. I suspect that this is not anything that's going to last too long. I think it's going to be manageable."
Arenado was lifted from Friday night's game in the fifth inning after it became too painful to use his right arm to throw the ball. Black said Arenado would continue to dress for games and could be called upon to pinch hit if needed, though he remains day-to-day as far as returning to the infield.
Arenado did enter the game as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and got on base after getting hit by a pitch. His replacement at third base, Ryan McMahon, later in the inning hit a walk-off home run to lift Colorado.
Arenado, 27, is hitting .307 with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs this season.
In the clubhouse before the game, Arenado told reporters that his shoulder is still "a little sore. Hopefully, [Sunday] it feels better and we'll go from there."
The five-time Gold Glove winner tweaked the shoulder turning a double play in the third inning Friday against the Dodgers. He believes several instances in previous games in which he didn't get his legs under his throws also might have contributed to the injury.
"It doesn't really hurt doing anything besides throwing the baseball, like extending on the ball," Arenado said. "It is affecting my throwing for sure. I can't go out there if it's going to affect my throwing."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.