Jerry Hairston Jr. not activated, Scott Van Slyke injures neck

The Dodgers’ bench wasn’t looking any deeper Sunday, particularly in the outfield.

Scott Van Slyke suffered a bit of whiplash diving for a ball Saturday and was questionable, the Dodgers elected not to activate Jerry Hairston Jr. for another day and Matt Kemp was given the day off.

If Van Slyke is unable to play, Kemp is the only backup outfielder. Best expect to see him at some point.

Van Slyke was getting continued treatment on his neck and thought he could play.

“It should loosen up as the day goes on,” Van Slyke said. “Put some heat on it and a little hot sauce. It should loosen up.”

A huge divot was visible in left field when Van Slyke slid Saturday. He said it was actually created by his knee hitting the turf.

“I haven’t seen the play, but what I remember is my knee going into the earth and it kind of made my slide pretty violent,” he said. “If my knee doesn’t go into the ground, it’s a normal slide. It jolted everything forward and it created a little bit of whiplash.”

Van Slyke spent the season almost exclusively playing first base at triple-A Albuquerque before being called up on May 10.

Hairston is in on the disabled list with a strained groin. He completed a two-game rehabilitation assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday and told reporters he was going to be activated Sunday.

The Dodgers, however, decided to wait a day.

“I’ll be activated tomorrow,” Hairston said.

So why not Sunday?

“It has nothing to do with me,” Hairston said.

The Dodgers have to make a corresponding move when they activate Hairston, and since Van Slyke’s neck doesn’t appear to be a disabled-list situation, guys like infielder Luis Cruz have to be nervous.

Manager Don Mattingly said the decision to wait a day to activate Hairston was pretty routine after a rehab assignment.

“Jerry played two days in a row,” Mattingly said. “[It’s] kind of like we always do, we always seem to make sure they come out of it all right and give them the day.”