Gagne Has Surgery for Herniated Disk

Dodgers closer Eric Gagne had surgery to remove part of a herniated disk in his lower back and will remain at St. Vincent Medical Center for at least another day before returning to his home in Arizona.

Team trainer Stan Johnston said the procedure was done without complications.

“It was a large piece,” Johnston said. “It was protruding and pressing on a nerve.”

The disk damage between the L4 and L5 vertebrae is degenerative. The first symptom of Gagne’s back problems came during spring training of 2003 when he sat out two weeks because of pain in the area.

Johnston said the nerve that the bulging disk was resting against appeared to be fine and that Gagne would begin physical therapy in three weeks. His back should be healthy by spring training, although there are unanswered questions about his elbow as well.

It appears Gagne would only remain a Dodger if the team renegotiates a deal with him. The Dodgers are not expected to pick up his $12-million option. Instead, they would pay him a $1-million buyout and try to reach terms on a more modest deal, probably one that includes incentives based on appearances and saves.

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Even though catcher Russell Martin turned a few words of advice into a triple and a double a night earlier, he was given a day off for only the fifth time since coming up from triple A on May 5.

After going hitless two games in a row for only the third time, Martin was taken aside by Manager Grady Little before Friday’s game.

“We talked to him about trying too hard to get a hit,” Little said. “He hasn’t met too many downfalls. None defensively and very few offensively. The last few days he was pressing a little bit to get a hit and swinging at pitches out of the strike zone. That’s out of character for Russ. We just talked to him about relaxing.”

Martin pinch-hit with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth inning and flied out to left field. Little called upon Martin instead of Jeff Kent, who sat out for the fourth game in a row because of a sore abdominal muscle.

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Brad Penny could pitch one inning out of the bullpen today before departing for the All-Star game in Pittsburgh. . . . Outfielder Ricky Ledee is one for 10 in his rehabilitation assignment at double-A Jacksonville.

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Times staff writer Michael Becker contributed to this report.