Beltre choosing comfort over safety - MLB

Adrian Beltre, apparently, is a gambling man.

The Mariners third baseman is trying to work his way back from the disabled list after being sidelined by a bad-hop grounder to his man region, resulting in a “severely contused testicle.” OUCH.

Beltre took infield and batting practice today, and is eligible to return on Friday.

We’ve already discussed Beltre’s aversion to wearing a cup, the main reason for the severity of his injury.

But interestingly, Beltre, an excellent defender, is still choosing comfort over safety, telling The News Tribune that he would wear a cup “against my will, maybe.”

“I’ve tried before. It’s uncomfortable. I hated it. If it’s going to happen every 11 years of my career, I’ll take my chances.”

In the same story, Beltre says when he was injured, he thought “it exploded.”

Nothing against Beltre. He’s a tough customer, and a great defensive third basemen. But once things start “exploding,” that would be enough for me.

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CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”