Yasiel Puig has mild hamstring strain

OAKLAND, Calif. -- An MRI to Yasiel Puig's tight right hamstring showed what the team is calling a "mild strain," and the Los Angeles Dodgers are hopeful their star outfielder can avoid the 15-day disabled list.

Puig missed Wednesday's 5-2 lossto theOakland Athletics,but Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Puig will test the injury Friday in Houston and could return to the field this weekend, likely at designated hitter. The Dodgers are off on Thursday.

"It was pretty good news today, it feels like," Mattingly said. "This is way less than last time, it seems like. At this point, he's calling it 'very mild,' and the MRI is not showing a whole lot, and Yasiel looks good."

Puig was walking around the clubhouse without a noticeable limp Wednesday morning.

Puig missed 38 games earlier this season with a strained left hamstring. In the eighth inning Tuesday, he clutched the back of his right knee after beating out a throw from shortstop Marcus Semien and left the field with Dodgers trainer Stan Conte and Mattingly. He iced the injury after leaving the game.

"It's different," Puig said. "This one is a little bit better than the last one."

The Dodgers managed to go 20-18 the first time Puig was injured, and they have plenty of outfielders to plug in. Andre Ethier moved from left to right field Thursday, and Carl Crawford got the start in left field.

Puig is batting .250 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs.