SAN DIEGO — Cody Bellinger’s calf injury was originally described as “two cleat contusions.” It turns out it was more serious than that.

The Dodgers outfielder was eligible to return from the Injured List on Friday. But according to Manager Dave Roberts, a lack of progress in his recovery prompted the team to send him for another examination this week. That examination revealed a hairline fracture in his left fibula. It now appears the 2019 National League MVP will be out for at least another week or two.

“He kind of hit a plateau as far as kind of getting better each day. So we had a scan,” Roberts said before Friday’s game in San Diego. “It showed a fracture or a slight little hairline fracture.

“So right now, it’s more of just getting that thing healed up and then when he’s ready to go he’ll be back with us. He’s just rehabbing daily and doing everything he can to join us as soon as possible.”

Roberts said he couldn’t put a timetable on Bellinger’s eventual return, saying it would just be “a guess.” But earlier in the day, Roberts estimated during an interview on MLB Network that Bellinger would be out “at least another week or two.”

“At least we know what Cody’s dealing with,” Roberts said. “Certain players heal differently. So, I just don’t know where Cody’s going to be at. I do know that the training staff is doing everything they can. Cody’s doing what he can.

“I can say comfortably that it is not a day-to-day thing. So we can kind of just put it on the back burner, let Cody do his rehab and join us, hopefully, soon.”

Bellinger suffered the injury on April 5 in Oakland when he beat out an infield single in the ninth inning. A’s reliever Reymin Guduan stepped on the back of Bellinger’s calf as the two were racing for the base.

MORE INJURIES

Gavin Lux and A.J. Pollock were not in the starting lineup for Friday’s game with injuries that are characterized as minor.

Lux was scratched from Thursday’s lineup as well with soreness in his right wrist. Roberts said he was available to play defense or pinch-run if needed Friday but he wouldn’t be asked to swing a bat.

“Gavin took some swings right before the game, and just didn’t feel good as far as his right hand. He just didn’t feel like he could swing the bat,” Roberts said. “But it feels significantly better than it did yesterday.”

Lux pinch-ran for Pollock in the seventh inning Thursday night after Pollock felt tightness in his left groin muscle.

Roberts said the Dodgers feel “we got ahead of” the injury before it was too serious. Pollock was available to pinch-hit if needed Friday.

Both Lux and Pollock will be re-evaluated Saturday.

GRATEROL SOON

Right-hander Brusdar Graterol pitched in a game at the alternate training site in Arizona on Thursday and “felt good today,” Roberts said. Graterol will join the Dodgers in San Diego as a member of the taxi squad for this series but he could be activated from the IL in the next few days.

The decision on when to activate Graterol could be affected by how much usage the Dodgers’ bullpen gets against the Padres, Roberts said.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (LHP Clayton Kershaw, 2-1, 2.89 ERA) at Padres (RHP Yu Darvish, 1-0, 3.06 ERA), Saturday 5:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM

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