White’s Shoulder Injury Potentially Season-Ending

As expected Friday, the Dodgers put both center fielder Devon White and shortstop Kevin Elster on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 3 and 4, respectively.

Shortstop Alex Cora, who was recalled from triple-A Albuquerque, and relief pitcher Antonio Osuna, who was reinstated after being on the disabled list all season after off-season surgery on his right (pitching) elbow, took their places on the Dodgers’ 25-man roster.

Dodger Manager Davey Johnson said he was more concerned by White’s injury, which could end the switch-hitting lead-off man’s season.

White suffered a partial tear of his left rotator cuff diving for a ball in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium.

Dodger team physician Dr. Frank Jobe said that White’s injury is not related to the arthroscopic surgery he had on the same shoulder this past off-season.

“It’s very small and it was a lot better today than it was yesterday,” Jobe said. “So there is some hope that we can avoid surgery.

“It’s a day-to-day evaluation.”

White, 37, is undergoing therapy, including heat, ice and range-of-motion exercises on his non-throwing arm. In 22 games, he is batting .289 with three home runs and nine runs batted in. He is in the second year of a three-year contract.

Jobe said that a best-case scenario would have White back with the Dodgers in two weeks. At worst, the seven-time Gold Glove winner would undergo season-ending surgery if his shoulder does not respond to treatment.

Elster, meanwhile, should be back in two weeks from a pulled right groin, Jobe said.

Also, relief pitcher Mike Fetters is experiencing swelling in the elbow of his right (throwing) arm and is scheduled to have an MRI to reveal the cause and third baseman Adrian Beltre sat out Friday night’s game with a tight left hamstring.

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Right-handed reliever Gregg Olson made a rehab start at class-A San Bernardino on Friday night. Olson, who went on the disabled list with a right forearm strain, gave up two runs, one earned, one hit and walked a batter in two-thirds of an inning against Modesto. He faced four batters while on a 20-pitch minimum.

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Spanish-language television station KWHY Channel 22 will begin airing a 30-minute program called “El Dodgers Show” on Sundays at 5 p.m., beginning this weekend. The highlight and feature-driven show will be hosted by Fernando Gonzalez with reports by Jose Mantilla and Cecilia Torres.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’

DARREN DREIFORT

(1-1, 2.67 ERA)

vs.

ASTROS’

OCTAVIO DOTEL

(1-2, 4.20 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7

TV--Channel 5. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330)

* Update--Dreifort defeated the Astros at Dodger Stadium on April 18, going six innings of a 5-3 win while striking out eight and giving up the three runs. He is 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA in his career against Houston. Dotel, took the loss that night, giving up four runs on seven hits in six innings. Still, he tied a career-high, set against the Dodgers in 1999, with 10 strikeouts. In two career games against the Dodgers, Dotel is 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA.