Dodgers’ Justin Turner has mild ankle sprain and could play soon

BALTIMORE â€”  The Dodgers received good news Thursday when an MRI exam on Justin Turner’s sore left ankle, which has kept the third baseman out of games since Saturday, did not reveal significant structural damage. The diagnosis, manager Dave Roberts said, was a mild ankle sprain.

“Less concerned now that we know it’s a mild sprain,� Roberts said. “And obviously with the sprain, time heals it so what that timeline is, is to be determined. So, I guess it’s a day-to-day [injury]. But, yeah, a little relief.�

Turner wasn’t in the Dodgers’ lineup against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. Roberts stopped short of ruling the third baseman out of the club’s upcoming three-game series against the New York Mets this weekend. He said Turner won’t be in the lineup Friday for the opener, but anticipates Turner will be available in “some capacity� during the series.

According to Roberts, the 34-year-old woke up Sunday with the ankle pain and underwent X-rays. The Dodgers believe Turner injured the ankle fielding a groundball at some point but Roberts said he was unsure.

Roberts said on Sunday that he expected Turner would play Tuesday but the discomfort lingered long enough to deem an MRI exam necessary.

While Turner’s status remains to be determined, Max Muncy is scheduled to meet the team in New York and come of the injured list Friday, giving the Dodgers one of the sluggers they’ve been without recently. Muncy fractured his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch Aug. 28.

Short hops

Reliever Scott Alexander underwent a “left forearm nerve decompression procedure� in Los Angeles on Thursday, according to the Dodgers. Alexander has not pitched since going on the injured list because of left forearm inflammation in June. He is expected to be ready for spring training. … Major League Baseball announced Kenley Jansen is the Dodgers’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award this season. Clayton Kershaw won the league-wide award for community service in 2012.