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Dodgers closer Eric Gagne will have surgery Friday to remove a nerve from his pitching elbow, his second arm operation in less than a year.
Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said there was no timetable for the return of Gagne, who saved 152 games from 2002-04 and was a near-unanimous winner of the NL Cy Young Award in 2003.
Rawitch said surgery on the 30-year-old right-hander will be performed by Dr. Frank Jobe and Dr. Ralph Gambardella of the team's medical staff at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles. It's the same nerve that was moved during an operation last June.
"I'm very disappointed because I thought this would be behind us," Gagne said in a statement issued through the Dodgers. "It was a decision where I wanted to be 100 percent and be myself and enjoy it because I can't pitch with that kind of pain."
Gagne had eight saves in as many chances in 14 games last season. He didn't pitch in the Dodgers' first three games this year, sitting out an 11-10 season-opening loss Monday to Atlanta in a game Los Angeles never led, and serving a two-game suspension after that.
The Dodgers acquired Danys Baez from Tampa Bay during the offseason. Baez saved 41 games last season and pitched a scoreless ninth for a save in the team's lone victory so far this year, a 5-4 triumph over Atlanta on Tuesday night.
The Dodgers, idle Thursday, begin a three-game series Friday night in Philadelphia.
Gagne pitched in 10 games during the exhibition season, allowing five earned runs. His last outing was Friday night in an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Rawitch said Gagne will be placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Saturday, and the Dodgers will purchase the contract of 36-year-old right-hander Takashi Saito from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Saito agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers in February. He spent most of his 14-year career with Yokohama Baystars in Japan's Central League, compiling an 87-78 record with 48 saves. Saito had a 4.09 ERA in 11 innings for the Dodgers during the exhibition season.
Source: AP
Team spokesman Josh Rawitch said there was no timetable for the return of Gagne, who saved 152 games from 2002-04 and was a near-unanimous winner of the NL Cy Young Award in 2003.
Rawitch said surgery on the 30-year-old right-hander will be performed by Dr. Frank Jobe and Dr. Ralph Gambardella of the team's medical staff at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles. It's the same nerve that was moved during an operation last June.
"I'm very disappointed because I thought this would be behind us," Gagne said in a statement issued through the Dodgers. "It was a decision where I wanted to be 100 percent and be myself and enjoy it because I can't pitch with that kind of pain."
Gagne had eight saves in as many chances in 14 games last season. He didn't pitch in the Dodgers' first three games this year, sitting out an 11-10 season-opening loss Monday to Atlanta in a game Los Angeles never led, and serving a two-game suspension after that.
The Dodgers acquired Danys Baez from Tampa Bay during the offseason. Baez saved 41 games last season and pitched a scoreless ninth for a save in the team's lone victory so far this year, a 5-4 triumph over Atlanta on Tuesday night.
The Dodgers, idle Thursday, begin a three-game series Friday night in Philadelphia.
Gagne pitched in 10 games during the exhibition season, allowing five earned runs. His last outing was Friday night in an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Rawitch said Gagne will be placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Saturday, and the Dodgers will purchase the contract of 36-year-old right-hander Takashi Saito from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Saito agreed to a minor league contract with the Dodgers in February. He spent most of his 14-year career with Yokohama Baystars in Japan's Central League, compiling an 87-78 record with 48 saves. Saito had a 4.09 ERA in 11 innings for the Dodgers during the exhibition season.
Source: AP