Young Is Put on Disabled List

The Dodgers placed second baseman Eric Young on the 15-day disabled list Monday because his right quadriceps strain hasn’t healed.

Dodger officials considered placing Young on the disabled list two weeks ago, but Young persuaded them to keep him on the active roster. After Young underwent an MRI exam Monday that failed to show improvement, the Dodgers decided the move was necessary.

“E.Y. wanted to be out there because he was thinking about his team and his teammates, but he just can’t do it right now,” interim General Manager Tom Lasorda said. “We wanted to see how his leg was after he had some rest, and it’s still bothering him, so this is what we have to do now.”

Young leads the National League with 33 stolen bases, and is batting .285 (80 for 281) with two home runs and 19 runs batted in. The injury has kept Young out for 14 games, and he has been slowed in many others.

“Running is a big part of E.Y’s game, and he obviously can’t do that without his legs,” Manager Glenn Hoffman said. “We hoped that with some time off at the end [of the first half] and during the [All-Star] break that he might be OK, but it still wasn’t right.”

The Dodgers recalled infielder/outfielder Trenidad Hubbard from triple-A Albuquerque to take Young’s place on the 25-man roster. Hubbard was optioned to Albuquerque on Sunday to make room for pitcher Brian Bohanon, who was acquired Friday from the New York Mets for pitcher Greg McMichael.

Wilton Guerrero will continue to play second and bat in the leadoff spot while Young is out, which is comforting to Hoffman.

Entering Monday night’s game, Guerrero was batting .375 (12 for 32) with seven runs in his last seven starts at second and batting atop the order. He had at least one hit in each game.

“Wilton has a lot of confidence right now, and so much of this game is confidence,” Hoffman said. “He’s doing everything he has to do out there, and we just need him to stay focused and keep it going.”

That would be the key for Guerrero, who has been plagued by mental lapses during his two-year major league career. But Guerrero said he’s prepared for the challenge of being an everyday player this season after losing his job to Young last season.

“If you get a chance to play every day, it’s easy for you to build confidence,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “When you don’t [play every day], it seems that every opportunity to play hinges on what you did in your last game. That’s hard.”

*

Giant right-hander Orel Hershiser wasn’t expected to start in this series. But Hershiser is now scheduled to pitch Wednesday against his former team because left-hander Shawn Estes has a sore throwing shoulder.

“It definitely will be special--that goes without saying,” said Hershiser, who will be pitching on three days rest. “But these aren’t the same guys I lived and died with.

“It’s not like I’m on a sentimental journey. It’s not like I’m on my last legs and I’m reliving Dodger memories. I’m a reliable front-line pitcher on a team that has a chance to go to the playoffs.”

Hershiser is 7-7 with a 4.01 earned-run average. He pitched seven strong innings in defeating the Dodgers, 6-3, July 3 at 3Com Park.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

CHAN HO PARK

(8-5, 4.50 ERA)

vs.

GIANTS’

MARK GARDNER

(11-5, 2.54 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m.

TV--Fox Sports West 2. Radio--AM 1150, KWKW (1330).

* Update--Park is 10-0 with a 3.34 ERA in his last 15 starts at Dodger Stadium, and 5-0 with a 2.43 at home this season. The Dodgers provide Park with the most run support in the National League, averaging 7.53 runs in his 19 starts. Park has not given up an earned run in his last 18 1/3 innings spanning three games. Gardner is 5-2 with a 4.21 ERA in his last 10 starts. He gave up seven runs in 4 1/3 innings July 4 in a 9-5 loss to the Dodgers.