Andre Ethier putting team first; Don Mattingly notices

Andre Ethier, model teammate. Imagine that.

Ethier has done everything the Dodgers have asked of him this season without uttering a single complaint publicly. He has sat several times when they faced left-handed hitters. When Matt Kemp went down with a hamstring injury, he moved from right field to center. When Kemp returned, he went to left. When Kemp landed on the disabled list again, he moved back to center.

“His flexibility has really allowed us to do a lot of things,” Manager Don Mattingly said. “I’ve been really pleased with Andre. Honestly, it’s been a joy for me.”

Mattingly is the same manager who implied earlier this year that Ethier lacked the toughness he wanted to see in his players.

Ethier has also started to hit. In his last 28 games before Friday, he was batting .364. He started the game with a .273 average, up from .229 on June 10.

Ethier, 31, admitted that he might not have handled this situation as well earlier in his eight-year major league career.

In his first four seasons, Ethier played in the postseason three times. He hasn’t been back since.

“I’m not saying it’s the back end of my career, but it probably is,” Ethier said. “So I don’t know how many more opportunities I’ll get to be on a team that’s successful. You’re willing to make sacrifices and do things to help your team.”

Ethier also said that as he has grown older, he has become more confident, which has made him more open to playing different positions.

“It’s being comfortable with who you are as a big leaguer and knowing what you’re capable of doing,” he said. “It’s knowing yourself, knowing your limitations.”

Mattingly said he sensed that Ethier was rejuvenated by the move to center field.

“I think it’s nice because he’s gotten attention for how good he is out there,” Mattingly said. “Nobody realized what a good outfielder Andre was. We put him in center and are seeing the jumps he gets, the routes he runs, everybody goes, ‘Wow, this guy’s a pretty good outfielder.’”

Crawford sidelined

Carl Crawford was a late scratch from the lineup, as Mattingly said the left fielder had a stiff lower back. Crawford was replaced in left field by Skip Schumaker, who returned from a two-game suspension.

Crawford returned from a hamstring injury July 5, but had gone two for 25 since then entering Friday. Mattingly believes Crawford’s back problems are a result of his spending extra time in the batting cage.

“We have to monitor him and not let him do too much,” Mattingly said.

Short hops

Saturday will be on-field photo day at Dodger Stadium. Fans can enter the field though the center field gates at 1 p.m. . . . The Dodgers signed their top 12 draft picks before the 2 p.m. deadline Friday. In all, they signed 28 of the 40 players they drafted. Among the local players signed were UC Santa Barbara shortstop Brandon Trinkwon (seventh round), Los Alamitos High right-hander Greg Harris (17th) and UC Irvine right-hander Kyle Hooper (25th). . . . Ted Lilly, who is attempting to return from the disabled list as a reliever, pitched a simulated game at Dodger Stadium.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com

Twitter: @dylanohernandez