Hazelbaker shows Dodgers what they missed

LOS ANGELES — There may have been no collective gain from Jeremy Hazelbaker’s pinch-hit homer Saturday other than to halve the margin by which the Cardinals lost to the Dodgers, but the seemingly inconsequential two-run blast in a 5-3 loss did hold added significance for the rookie outfielder.

The homer, Hazelbaker’s team-leading seventh of the season, came exactly one year after he signed a Minor League deal with the Cardinals to end a period of limbo in which he wondered if he’d get another chance elsewhere. He had become a free agent two weeks earlier after being unexpectedly released from the Dodgers’ Double-A roster.

On Saturday, the Dodgers had a front-row seat to watch how far Hazelbaker has climbed since.

“Great timing, to say the least,” Hazelbaker said of the home run. “It’s a little added incentive to do well and perform [against the Dodgers]. At the same time, I understand that it’s a business, and they did what they thought was best for them. I’m not sure what they’re thinking [now], but it definitely worked out for me.”

Hazelbaker has …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com