San Diego native Adrian Gonzalez, unable to play because of a bad back, has made the intriguing – selfish? – choice of not being with his Los Angeles Dodgers team during its World Series matchup with the Houston Astros that begins on Tuesday night.

“It’s his choice,” wrote Bill Shiakin of the Los Angeles Times. “It’s too bad. Gonzalez has played more games without a World Series appearance than all but two active players: Ichiro Suzuki and Brandon Phillips. He would not have played in this World Series because of what the Dodgers said was a recurrence of a back injury, but he had earned a round of cheers from a large and loyal fan base that cherishes him.”

The other view of this is that Gonzalez is so pained by not being able to play that he had to get away. He got really far away. He and his family are reportedly on a vacation in Europe.

Dodger Justin Turner declined to say whether he was disappointed that Gonzalez had chosen not to bask in World Series applause.


“This is Adrian’s deal, not mine,” Turner said. “He’s a really good friend of mine. I’m proud of him and happy to be a teammate of his.

“I text him almost every day: We miss you, we want you to be here with us, you should be here enjoying this with us. But I understand.”

Gonzalez, 35, a five-time All-Star who spent five seasons with the Padres, had played at least 156 games in 11 consecutive seasons. He went on the disabled list in May for the first time in his career, and went back on the DL in June.

Gonzalez hit a home run in his final at-bat on Sept. 26. The Dodgers announced the next day that he had aggravated his back injury and was done for the season.


“We totally respect his decision,” General Manager Farhan Zaidi told Shaikin. “He’s meant a lot to this organization. He’s been in constant contact with the front office, the players, the coaching staff, and Doc [manager Dave Roberts], expressing his support. Everybody here knows he’s fully behind us.”

The Times reported that Gonzalez is under contract next season, at $21.5 million. He would like to play regularly at first base, but Cody Bellinger’s emergence means Gonzalez might have to try to do so elsewhere.

MLB player refused service by Trump-supporting waiter

Sweet home Alabama? Not for the Oakland Athletics’ Bruce Maxwell.

The catcher, who just finished his rookie season, was the first player in the major leagues to take a knee during the National Anthem, as players in the NFL have done.


The season concluded and he went home to Harvest, Ala. The 26-year-old was having lunch with a friend who is now a city councilman, and when the waiter recognized Maxwell, he refused him service.

Maxwell told TMZ Sports, “He was, like, ‘You’re the guy who took the knee? I voted for Trump and I stand for everything he stands for.’ ”

At the time he took a knee, Maxwell, who comes from a military family, told Yahoo Sports: “This is beyond race. This is about our president speaking out in a vulgar, negative way against people exercising their rights in a peaceful manner. It’s about mankind.”

Maxwell, who is white, was disappointed by the response he got in his home state.


“This is where I’m from,” he told TMZ. “Unless you’re the subject to it, you won’t understand it, you won’t feel it. I’m 26 years old. I’m very respectful. I’ve very educated. And it still happens to this day. That’s the reason I’m kneeling — stuff like that.”


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tod.leonard@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutleonard