Osuna Considers Options

Reliever Antonio Osuna is considering his options after recently learning he will be sidelined the remainder of the season because of a partial ligament tear in his pitching elbow.

Osuna hopes to avoid surgery because he has already undergone two arthroscopic procedures on his right elbow since Sept. 8. However, Osuna must eventually have surgery, team officials said, if he hopes to pitch again.

The Dodgers had hoped Osuna would return this season, but Manager Davey Johnson believes the bullpen will continue to function well without Osuna.

“I think our bullpen, from where it started from, has been exceptional,” Johnson said. “I think it’s come together pretty well.”

Johnson especially is pleased with his left-handers.

“I wasn’t here last year, but I heard that [left-hander Mark] Guthrie and the other guy [left-hander Scott Radinsky] didn’t get too many big outs,” Johnson said. “You certainly can’t fault [lefties Pedro] Borbon and [Onan] Masaoka.”

Borbon and Masaoka have been among the most pleasant surprises during this difficult season.

Borbon, who gave up a run in 1 1/3 innings Sunday, has been the top left-handed specialist, going 2-1 with a 1.98 earned-run average in 41 appearances. Opponents are batting .142 against him, and left-handers are batting .117.

He made the opening-day roster as a non-roster player during spring training despite not pitching in the major leagues the last two seasons while recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery.

How good has Borbon been? The Dodgers are paying Greg Cadaret, who was cut on the eve of the regular season, $375,000 this season because General Manager Kevin Malone gave Cadaret a guaranteed contract, figuring he would fill the job Borbon won in spring training.

Masaoka, though, has been an even bigger surprise.

The 21-year-old rookie has responded well in making the jump from double-A and working in relief after starting in the minors. He is 1-1 with a save and a 2.83 ERA in 33 appearances. He has limited opponents to a .214 batting average.

Johnson, skilled at handling young players, brought Masaoka along slowly. He struggled early in the season while experiencing growing pains, but Masaoka has been impressive during the last few weeks.

“You can see him steadily gaining more confidence,” Johnson said. “He knows he still has things he needs to work on, but he knows what he has to do to be successful.”

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ DARREN DREIFORT (7-8, 5.77 ERA) vs. PIRATES’ JOSE SILVA (2-7, 6.72 ERA)

Three Rivers Stadium, 4 p.m.

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

* Update--Dreifort ended a personal three-game losing streak July 11 during a brawl-marked 14-3 interleague victory over the Seattle Mariners at Dodger Stadium. The right-hander gave up five hits and three runs with a season-high seven strikeouts. Dreifort is 2-4 with a 5.83 earned-run average in 10 appearances against the Pirates. Silva is 0-5 with a 6.39 ERA in his last seven starts.