Orosco Might Go on Disabled List

The battered and bruised Dodger pitching staff received another dose of bad news Saturday as left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco was diagnosed with a sprain in his lower back.

A decision to put baseball’s all-time appearances leader on the disabled list could come as early as today, Manager Jim Tracy said.

Orosco, 44, has not pitched since Aug. 2.

“What’s happening is the sprain is . . . radiating down [the tailbone] and causing discomfort, is what Dr. [Frank] Jobe described to me,” Tracy said.

Orosco, who signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers on April 24 and had his contract purchased from triple-A Las Vegas on May 25, is 0-1 with a 3.75 earned-run average in 24 appearances. Hitters are batting .267 against him.

He said he has never experienced a similar injury in his 22 big league seasons and doesn’t remember when or how he hurt his back.

“I just tweaked it,” Orosco said. “I don’t know if it was from the flight [on the recent trip]. I think it might be. It’s kind of a freak thing that happened.”

It’s also the kind of thing that might put him on the disabled list for only the second time in his lengthy career.

“Hopefully it doesn’t happen,” Orosco said. “But if it does, it’s for the best because I have to be ready for the last month of the season and not leave our bullpen short.”

Should Orosco go on the disabled list, lefty Jeff Williams most likely will be called up from Las Vegas to fill the roster spot.

*

Adrian Beltre has never considered himself a leadoff hitter. But he has responded since being inserted in that role.

Entering Saturday night’s game against the New York Mets, Beltre was batting .643 (nine for 14) leading off in three games, with two doubles, two runs batted in and six runs scored.

The move didn’t help much Saturday night, when Beltre went 0 for 3 with a walk.

“It’s been pretty good,” said Beltre, who usually bats in the No. 6 spot. “If I can keep swinging the way I am, then I’m going to be happier, especially if it works better for the team.”

Tracy said Beltre’s success has energized the rest of the lineup as the Dodgers had scored 24 runs in the first three games Beltre had led off.

“What brought it on was the fact that E.K. [Eric Karros] has been struggling with the bat and I felt like that situation had to be addressed immediately, which is why I inserted [Paul] Lo Duca into the five hole,” Tracy said.

Tracy moved Lo Duca to Karros’ No. 5 spot and pushed Karros back to sixth.

“I think what we’ve seen is his development as a young player,” Tracy said of Beltre. “He’s showing discipline at the plate and I think that points toward the fact that he recognizes where he’s hitting in the lineup.

“In being patient, he’s getting better pitches to swing at and taking advantage of it.”

Said Beltre: “Maybe I’m seeing more fastballs. That could be the thing.”

TODAY

DODGERS’

CHAN HO PARK

(11-8, 2.98 ERA)

vs.

METS’

STEVE TRACHSEL

(6-11, 5.28 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 1 p.m.

TV--Channel 5.

Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--Park is 8-2 with a 1.59 earned-run average in 14 starts at Dodger Stadium this year.