Brown Will Meet With Team Doctors

The Dodgers are anxiously awaiting the results of Kevin Brown’s most recent battery of tests, wondering whether their injured ace will be ready to open the second half.

“We’ve got all the tests done that they wanted to get done, now it’s a matter of getting back to L.A. and going over everything with Dr. [Frank] Jobe,” said Brown, still experiencing pain from the lower abdomen strain he suffered July 3 against the San Diego Padres.

“We’re just trying to understand specifically what’s going on, and making sure we have all the information we can.”

Concerned about the situation and hoping to be activated from the disabled list Friday, Brown altered his All-Star break plans to return to Los Angeles today and meet with team physicians Jobe and Michael Mellman.

Jobe and Mellman will review tests that Brown underwent during the first two days of the series against the Colorado Rockies, including the right-hander’s second MRI, and determine whether Brown should rejoin the rotation to start Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium.

Manager Jim Tracy is among many in the clubhouse keeping his fingers crossed. “To have a run at this thing [a postseason berth], we need this guy for the second half of this season,” Tracy said.

Brown, who also had an ultrasound and a CT scan, is on the disabled list for the seventh time in five seasons in Los Angeles, including six times since March 2001.

Because of his injury, Brown backed out of Tuesday’s All-Star game at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. He had considered taking his family to Chicago to participate in All-Star festivities but ultimately decided meeting with Jobe and Mellman was more important.

“Obviously, I would have loved to pitch [today for the Dodgers] and been able to go to the All-Star game and be involved in that, but it’s just not worth risking the rest of the season,” said Brown, who earned his sixth All-Star selection.

“No disrespect to anybody, I appreciate being selected and it’s an honor, but my focus has still got to be on trying to get better as soon as I can to get back to help the team.”

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Reliever Guillermo Mota has pitched 17 consecutive scoreless innings.... Alex Cora hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the sixth inning of Saturday’s loss.