Dee Gordon faces thumb operation: ‘It’s how the year’s been’

PHOENIX -- Dee Gordon looked crushed as he sat in the visiting dugout at Chase Field on Thursday. He had learned earlier in the day that he had a torn tendon in his right thumb that would require surgery. He will sit out for six weeks.

The diagnosis came as a surprise to Gordon, who injured his thumb in a head-first slide on Wednesday. He said his thumb didn’t hurt.

“I thought it was probably like a partial tear and not to where I needed surgery,” he said.

Gordon, who has had an up-and-down season, sighed.

“It’s how the year’s been,” he said. “As soon as things start going good, something else comes up.”

Gordon has received high marks for his character, and Manager Don Mattingly said Gordon apologized to him after the game on Wednesday night.

Gordon said he was particularly bothered by the timing of the injury. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are both on the disabled list.

“Everybody is hurt,” Gordon said. “The first thing I said when I got it was ‘Dude, I can’t be hurt. Mark Ellis just came back. Matt’s not back yet. Dre’s down. I can’t be hurt right now.’ That’s the thing that [upset me] the most.”

In Gordon’s absence, recent minor league call-up Luis Cruz was in the Dodgers lineup as the starting shortstop Thursday. Mattingly said Jerry Hairston Jr., Elian Herrera and Juan Uribe could also play there.

Herrera, Hairston and Ellis will lead off while Gordon is out.

Gordon said he should be able to do everything except throw while he is on the disabled list.

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