NLCS 2013: Hanley Ramirez planning to start Game 5

The pain in his side had worsened from Monday to Tuesday, but Ramirez still attempted to play through it. After a first-inning strikeout, he grimaced noticeably and talked to trainers in the dugout, but stayed in the game. He was eventually pulled following the sixth inning having gone 0-3. He says trainers had been trying to take him out earlier than that.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to come back, and I expect to see my name in the lineup,” Ramirez told reporters after Tuesday’s game. “But it’s going to be hard. I’m going to try to play tomorrow. I’m going to go back to my house and get some rest and be ready to go tomorrow.”

Ramirez had been arguably the best hitter on the team in the regular season when healthy. He hit .345 with a 1040 OPS while blasting 20 home runs in just 86 games.

The Dodgers’ season will be on the line as they face elimination Wednesday down three games to one.

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