*  *  *  UPDATE – May 18, 2017 at 1:10 pm PT  *  *  *  

It was short, sweet and to the point.

“Everything felt good. What I was trying to accomplish I was able to, so it’s good. I feel it was pretty good to get it going.”

Those were the exact words of 35-year-old Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez immediately following his second consecutive – and most likely final – rehab game with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at LoanMart Field on Wednesday night; a game in which he went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and two RBIs as the team’s designated hitter. He struck out on a foul tip in the other at-bat, his first of the night.

Although it was unlikely that the 14-year major league veteran would have said otherwise even if he were still hurting from his right elbow tendinitis and the disk herniation in his back, he hit the ball very hard in each of his two doubles, with the first into the right field corner to drive in two runs and the second a hard line drive to the wall in the left-center field gap that helped the Quakes to an eventual 5-2 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres).

With his two doubles on Wednesday night, AGon looked like the AGon of old.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

While it is uncertain exactly when the Dodgers veteran first baseman will be reinstated from the disabled list, there have been widespread reports that it will be on Friday for the weekend series against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. That said, the series actually begins tonight (Thursday) and, knowing AGon, he will probably try to sell being reinstated today instead.

Perhaps somewhat under the radar, Dodgers second baseman Logan Forsythe is also on a rehab assignment with the Quakes, although his is expected to run a bit longer. And although the extremely polite and quiet 30-year-old Memphis, Tennessee native was 0-for-4 at the plate on Tuesday night, he went 1-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout in Wednesday’s game. He also made a brilliant defensive play at second base to rob Storm left fielder Yuniet Flores of a sure base hit to end the top of the second inning.

Forsythe showed no ill effects from his broken right big toe or his strained right hamstring when he made this outstanding defensive play on Wednesday night. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

It would be irresponsible not mention the brilliant pitching performance by Quakes right-hander Dennis Santana on Wednesday night. All Santana did was allow no earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out five in his 5.0 innings of work. The 21-year-old San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic native was signed as an international free agent by the Dodgers in 2013 as a shortstop but was quickly moved to the mound in 2014. With his five strikeouts on Wednesday he now has 37 on the season, second to only Quakes right-hander Mitchell White‘s 43, and his 2.13 ERA is tops on the team among all starters with five or more starts.

Quakes right-hander Dennis Santana may not get as much ink as some of the other Dodgers top pitching prospects, but he is every bit as good as them – perhaps even better.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

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  *  *  *  UPDATED: May 18, 2017 at 1:10 pm PT  *  *  *  

Adrian Gonzalez was, in fact, reinstated from the disabled list on Thursday afternoon, with utility outfielder / first baseman Scott Van Slyke optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City.