Dodgers activate Justin Turner, place Chase Utley on disabled list

The Dodgers found an injury in order to create an opening on the roster for third baseman Justin Turner, placing second baseman Chase Utley on the 10-day disabled list with inflammation in his left wrist.

Before the announcement was made, manager Dave Roberts indicated the Dodgers were trying to decide between placing either a position player or a reliever on the disabled list. The position player was Utley. The reliever, whom Roberts declined to name, probably will be disabled Friday when new reliever John Axford reports.

Turner had been out since July 22 with a groin injury, although the ailment had dogged him for two weeks prior to being shut down. Roberts returned Turner to his usual place in the batting order, hitting in the No. 3 spot behind Manny Machado, who slid back to shortstop.

“We’re going to manage it early and get his legs under him,” Roberts said before the game. “Because when you’re talking about a leg injury, an adductor, to get him back into game shape, that’s tougher to manage.”

Turner had hit .259 with a .752 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in his first 50 games this season. Roberts suggested Turner probably benefited from the additional time off in July, as he was still dealing with discomfort in his wrist related to a fracture suffered in March.

ASTROS INCOMING

A familiar but unfriendly foe with return to Dodger Stadium this weekend as the Houston Astros come to town for interleague play. The series will provide a rare, regular-season rematch of the World Series, which Houston captured in Game 7 last November. Roberts admitted the series carried more intrigue than the average set, and he referenced Houston’s pitching duo of Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, set to start Friday and Sunday.

“They’re a very good ballclub,” Roberts said. “We faced them here in the World Series, so when you get the opportunity to play them again, we know we’ve got to be at our best to beat them. We’re going to run into some very good pitching. For what that’s worth, each game is one game, but you do want to bring your best, playing against a championship team.”

Roberts was also reminded that he lost a wager to Astros manager A.J. Hinch, a close friend, when the National League fell to the American League at the All-Star game last month.

“I’m going to get him a nice bottle of wine,” Roberts said.

andy.mccullough@latimes.com

Twitter: @McCulloughTimes