Strikeouts aren’t helping Pederson

In the first inning Tuesday, Joc Pederson struck out. In the fourth inning, he struck out again, and did not run to first base on the dropped third strike. In the sixth inning, he struck out for a third time, and scattered boos were heard at Dodger Stadium.

Pederson, the Dodgers’ rookie center fielder, is batting .176 this month, with one home run. He leads the National League in strikeouts, but the plate discipline that enabled him to thrive in the leadoff spot has all but disappeared.

In 89 plate appearances this month, he has four walks and 28 strikeouts.

Manager Don Mattingly said the team has considered removing Pederson from the leadoff spot. Although the Dodgers expected Pederson to strike out a lot, Mattingly said the strikeouts have gone beyond even that generous allowance.

“I didn’t think he’d strike out this much,” Mattingly said after the Dodgers’ 2-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics.

Mattingly said the frustration is evident in Pederson, whose slugging percentage has declined in each of the first four months of the season. Mattingly chose not to single out Pederson for not running out a called third strike.“You see that all the time,” Mattingly said. “You don’t really want to see him not run there.”

Pederson is batting .228 with 21 home runs, tied for the team lead with Adrian Gonzalez.

Mattingly said he expects Pederson to turn into “a monster” at bat once he fixes his swing.

“I know it looks like he swings for the fences all the time,” Mattingly said, adding: “It’s not like he’s not working on stuff. He’s frustrated.”

Turner out

Justin Turner spent several hours in an emergency room Tuesday for treatment of an infection on his right thigh, Mattingly said.

When the Dodgers played in New York over the weekend, Turner reported what Mattingly said looked like a “pimple on his leg.” Mattingly said Turner thought the issue was “like a bug bite.”

The Dodgers’ medical staff administered antibiotics “to be careful,” Mattingly said, and Turner played Sunday.

The Dodgers were off Monday. Turner, the Dodgers’ starting third baseman, was in the original lineup Tuesday, but he was scratched and sent to the hospital after trainers noticed the infection had worsened. Turner received intravenous antibiotics and oral antibiotics, Mattingly said, and the Dodgers listed his condition as day-to-day.

Mazel tov

The Dodgers have a proud history of Jewish players, from Sandy Koufax and Norm Sherry to Shawn Green and Pederson. They play in a city renowned for its Jewish culture and heritage.

So should it be so hard to get a kosher dog at a Dodgers game?

Not anymore. The Dodgers opened a kosher food stand Tuesday, in the right field plaza.

For now, the stand will offer three types of kosher hot dogs: regular ($9), jalapeno ($9) and Italian sausage ($10).

The stand will be closed Friday nights and Saturday, when Jews celebrate Shabbat, and on Jewish holidays.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com

Twitter: @BillShaikin