TULSA, OKLAHOMA – APRIL 19: Kendall George #1 of the Tulsa Drillers looks on between pitches during a game against the Arkansas Travelers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

...

Megan Armstrong

By Megan Armstrong

0

Share

Newsweek is a Trust Project member

See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.


Nobody in baseball has had worse luck than Kendall George this week.

The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted George with the 36th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and he's currently playing for the Tulsa Drillers, the Dodgers' Double-A affiliate. On Monday, the Drillers trounced the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 14-8, but George exited the game in the second inning after a fluke injury.

George had just scored a run after Josue De Paula singled, prompting the Drillers' bat dog to bolt out of the dugout and retrieve De Paula's bat.

Read More on MLB

The broadcast captured the moment the bat dog ran into George's path. When George tried to jump out of the way, he landed awkwardly and came up limping. He understandably slammed his helmet to the ground and screamed in frustration while hobbling into the dugout.

View this post on X

The California Post's Jack Harris reported Wednesday that the Dodgers are "still awaiting a final medical opinion," but the fear is that George suffered a "moderate patellar injury." An unnamed spokesperson confirmed to Harris that the Drillers have suspended their bat dog program "for the immediate future" after George's injury.

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Kendall George #1 of the Tulsa Drillers looks on between pitches during a game against the Arkansas Travelers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

...

"Initial testing on the knee was not that optimistic about George’s outlook, but the organization is still awaiting the official results, a source said," The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya and Jesus Cano similarly reported. "It could be a devastating blow for a prospect who made massive strides with his contact rate this season and had accelerated his own major-league timeline in the process."

George, 21, has appeared in 43 games for the Drillers this season, with 26 stolen bases and a career-best .333/.417/.397 slash line.

View 0 Comments

Request Reprint & Licensing

Submit Correction

View Editorial & AI Guidelines