Dreifort’s Season Is Probably Over

Darren Dreifort probably has made his last appearance of the season as the Dodgers’ primary setup man, but it has nothing to do with the ineffectiveness that has marred his new assignment.

An MRI exam on the injury-plagued reliever’s right knee Tuesday revealed a severely sprained anterior cruciate ligament that will almost surely require season-ending surgery. The Dodgers will put Dreifort on the disabled list today.

“I don’t think he can really play on it the way it is now,” said team physician Frank Jobe, noting that he couldn’t recall a similar injury healing without surgery.

“I think he’s more likely to have surgery; if he does show me that he can do it without surgery, I’ll be surprised.”

Dreifort said he suffered the injury Monday night while pitching to Florida’s Luis Castillo, the first batter Dreifort faced during an eighth-inning collapse in which he gave up two hits and two runs in two-thirds of an inning during the Dodgers’ 4-2 loss.

“I thought I could get through it,” said Dreifort, who faced five more batters before being pulled by Manager Jim Tracy.

If Dreifort opts for knee surgery, which probably would sideline him into spring training next season, it would be his fifth since 1990 and fourth in the last five years. The 32-year-old required season-ending surgery on the medial collateral ligament in his right knee in June 2003 and had arthroscopic surgery on his right hip during the off-season.

The hip continued to bother Dreifort this season and probably contributed to the deterioration in his knee. Dreifort said he would also consider surgery on the hip, a procedure Jobe said would not cause Dreifort to be sidelined for a longer period.

Forced to sit out the 2002 season after undergoing ligament-replacement surgery on his right elbow, Dreifort has appeared in only 86 games -- posting nine victories -- since signing a five-year, $55-million contract before the 2001 season. He is owed $13 million next year.

Dreifort, a former starter who pitched exclusively in relief this season, had a 0-3 record with one save and a 12.15 earned-run average in eight appearances since being anointed closer Eric Gagne’s setup man July 30. He was 1-4 with a 4.44 ERA in a career-high 60 appearances.

“It’s very disappointing,” said Dreifort, who is expected to wait a few weeks before surgery to allow swelling and fluid buildup in the knee to subside. “I find myself in an unfamiliar situation with this ballclub because we are doing so well this late in the season and are not trying to catch up with somebody. We’re running away from them. That’s the hard part.

“But I’ll be here. I’ll be a fan of this team.”

Tracy said he would use a combination of Yhency Brazoban, Giovanni Carrara and Duaner Sanchez to pitch in Dreifort’s absence.

Starter Edwin Jackson, scheduled to make his first rehabilitation start tonight with triple-A Las Vegas, might be another late-inning option if he can return from the strained right forearm that has stranded him on the disabled list for the last month.

Tracy said he has been impressed with Brazoban, who has struck out four and walked none in six innings, but was reluctant to use the 23-year-old right-hander exclusively because he has only 34 2/3 innings of major league experience.

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Tracy was encouraged by the reports he received on Hideo Nomo’s first rehabilitation assignment at Las Vegas, saying “it was far and away better than anything we had seen leading up to the time when he was placed on the disabled list.”

Nomo, 3-10 with an 8.06 ERA when he went on the disabled list July 1 because of inflammation in his right shoulder, gave up one run and four hits in three innings Monday, striking out five and walking none.

Nomo is expected to pitch again Saturday.