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And on Saturday, Yasiel Puig returned to Dodgers’ lineup

Yasiel Puig will make his return to the Dodgers lineup Saturday against the Colorado Rockies four days after aggravating his left hamstring.

Yasiel Puig will make his return to the Dodgers lineup Saturday against the Colorado Rockies four days after aggravating his left hamstring.

(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
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Four days after aggravating his left hamstring, Yasiel Puig returned to the Dodgers lineup Saturday against the Rockies. Puig missed three consecutive days with the hamstring, but was back in right field against Colorado.

Puig said on Friday he would be able to return the next day, but Mattingly had been less encouraging.

“I was just really waiting for medical more than anything else,” Mattingly said. “Medical said, ‘Yes.’ Stan [Conte, head trainer] just came into the office early and said he was ready to go.”

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Puig was off to a slow start and actually had been benched April 11, before returning to hit home runs in consecutive games. He’s hitting .222 on the season.

Puig’s return, however, did not mean Andre Ethier was returning to the bench. Ethier is in left for Carl Crawford, whom Mattingly said was sick.

“Carl’s not feeling good,” Mattingly said. “Carl’s been sick, kinda the stuff we’ve had, [the Scott] Van Slyke stuff. We’ve had a little flu -- I don’t even know what it is. Something’s going around and guys are getting sick. Carl’s the one today.”

Ethier has started five of the previous six games, going seven for 17 (.412) with three RBI, a double, triple and home run.

“Andre’s been able to stay sharp, and he’s played well,” Mattingly said. “It’s just worked out well.

“This is the best he’s looked in a while. This is probably the healthiest he’s been for the most time.”

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Mattingly, who grows more careful with the press with each season -- if not by the day -- would not say that has earned Ethier more playing time when everyone is healthy.

“I’m not going to go into any of that,” he said. “We’re going to play our whole roster. Right now there’s plenty of at-bats for everybody. I’m not naming starter or relievers or extras. We’re just playing the lineups and going from there.”

Saturday’s Dodgers lineup:

Jimmy Rollins SS

Puig RF

Adrian Gonzalez 1B

Howie Kendrick 2B

Yasmani Grandal C

Ethier LF

Juan Uribe 3B

Joc Pederson CF

Zack Grienke P

Follow Steve Dilbeck on Twitter @stevedilbeck

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