Neil Walker was removed from the game in the top of the first inning on Wednesday after suffering a finger dislocation on his right hand.
Walker suffered the injury when Mark Ellis hit a broken bat grounder up the middle. Walker fielded the ball, then ran to the bag to get the runner out. He then attempted to get the double play and threw the ball to first base, but on the throw fell on his hand. The second baseman immediately was rolling on the ground in pain holding his right hand as the players gathered around and Manager Clint Hurdle and the training staff came out to check on him.
Walker was removed from the game and Josh Harrison was moved from third base to second, getting Pedro Alvarez in the game with the lefty Clayton Kershaw on the bump.
“It was strange,” Walker said of the play. “It was just a weird angle going across and then coming back. Then the guy kind of clipped me in my shin and I kind of rolled forward. I was either going to face plant or try to stick my hand in the way. As soon as I hit the ground I knew that it was dislocated. Fortunately its not broken.”
“I’m going to see a hand specialist tomorrow,” Walker said. “It’s a dislocated pinky. I’ve had it before, not on the same hand but on the opposite hand, glove hand in 09. I knew immediately when I hit the ground that it was dislocated Fortunately it’s no break. I’m very optimistic.”
