Viola’s Season in Doubt : Baseball: Boston right-hander goes on 60-day disabled list and needs elbow surgery.

The Red Sox had braced themselves for the worst news about Frank Viola’s injured left elbow and that’s pretty much what they got Thursday afternoon.

According to team physician/owner Arthur Pappas, Viola needs surgery to repair muscles and a partially torn ligament on the inside of the elbow.

The Red Sox placed Viola, 34, on the 60-day disabled list, but he will be out at least until September and probably is finished for the season. “September would be optimistic,” Pappas said. “Next year, there is, in reality, an opportunity for him to come back and pitch.”

And while Viola said he has no plans to retire, he conceded the injury could be career-threatening. “If I’m meant to pitch again, I’ll pitch again,” he said. “I’m not really thinking about that right now.”

The injury, which Viola said he was assured was not related to his off-season surgery to remove bone chips from the elbow, occurred Tuesday night as he pitched to the Mariners’ Eric Anthony. Viola’s pitch sailed well wide and it was clear he was in pain. “I actually think I did it on the pitch before that,” Viola said. “It felt funny and I just tried to shake it off.”

Pappas said three structures must be examined:

--The muscle group coming off the bone.

--The ligament on the inner side of the elbow that is torn. “If it is partially torn, it can be repaired,” Pappas said. “If it is completely torn, it would have to be replaced with a ligament or tendon from somewhere else in his body.”

--The ulna nerve. “He hasn’t complained of any of the symptons of damage to the nerve.”

Viola, in the final season of a three-year contract, will seek a second opinion Monday in Virginia from Dr. Richard Caspari, who removed the bone chips from Viola’s elbow Sept. 29. He may seek a third opinion before deciding by the end of next week who will perform the surgery. Viola was asked if he believes he is out for the season.

“If the ligament is secure enough and I’m just recovering from tendon surgery, I’d say I might be back by September,” he said.

General manager Dan Duquette declined to give a timetable. “We’ll have to wait and see what the surgery brings,” Duquette said. “The best-case scenario is that he will have his elbow repaired and return to the team this season.”

It did not sound as if Duquette expects the best-case scenario.

“This is a serious injury,” he said. “This type of injury usually takes a year to heal after the surgery.”

Viola said he has to have surgery regardless of his future in baseball.

“It’s pretty plain what the injury is,” Viola said. “It’s got to be done, no ifs, ands or buts. I can’t use my arm the way it is. It’s got to be repaired, even if it means all I do is rehab to a point where all I’m going to do is play catch with (his son) Frankie or coach a team and be able to throw BP. But it’s going to be a nasty rehab no matter what.”

Viola, who won the 1988 Cy Young Award (24-7, 2.64 earned-run average) while with the Twins, is 175-146 in his career. He’s 1-1 with a 4.65 ERA in ’94.

The Red Sox will need another starter Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“We’ll be filling Frank’s spot from within the organization,” Duquette said. Manager Butch Hobson wants to promote right-hander Gar Finnvold and give him the start.

Viola had never missed a start until last season.

“I still don’t think it’s hit home yet,” he said. “I guess it could have happened 10 years ago. But it’s something I know I can fight through.”

The Red Sox replaced Viola on the roster by purchasing the contract of infielder Carlos Rodriguez from triple-A Pawtucket. Rodriguez also will serve as insurance in case shortstop John Valentin’s right knee injury is serious. Valentin had a magnetic resonance imaging Thursday.

Rodriguez, 26, hit .324 at Pawtucket, with two home runs and 15 RBI. He made one error in 20 games. The Chicago White Sox claimed outfielder Bob Zupcic off waivers and assigned him to their Triple A team.