Los Angeles Dodgers to let third baseman Juan Uribe manage today

The Los Angeles Dodgers have clinched the National League West and enter today’s MLB regular season finale with little to play for other than keeping sharp for the postseason run.

Apparently Dodgers manager Don Mattingly will take the day off and has named third baseman Juan Uribe as the team’s manager for the final game, with ace Clayton Kershaw as pitching coach.

Mattingly also jokingly said left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu could serve as bullpen coach, although the language barrier could prove difficult.

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Mattingly is giving the Dodgers a light-hearted breather before going into the October spotlight and he’s hoping the levity will help the team stay loose during the run.

Zack Greinke will get the start, but Mattingly said the right-hander would be on a pitch or innings limit in what is effectively a tune-up start for the playoffs.

The 35-year-old Uribe is known for his personality and this isn’t the first time the Dodgers have allowed a respected veteran to take over as skipper while the real manager gets a day to rest before the postseason.

In 2009, then-manager Joe Torre allowed backup catcher Brad Ausmus to manage the final regular-season game and the Dodgers won, 5-3, against the Colorado Rockies.

Ausmus is now managing the playoff-bound Detroit Tigers.

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