Dodgers lose Dee Gordon to thumb surgery, out six weeks

Even as wounded Dodgers begin to return, there seems no end to the wave of injuries that continue to befall the first-place club.

Shortstop Dee Gordon is the latest to be lost for a significant amount of time to the club, the Dodgers announcing prior to Thursday’s game that he will undergo thumb surgery for a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Gordon is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday and is expected to be lost for approximately six weeks.

The shortstop was replaced on the roster by reliever Javy Guerra, himself just coming back from knee surgery. Mark Ellis was activated Wednesday and back in the lineup Thursday for the first time since undergoing emergency leg surgery May 19.

Not expected back until after the All-Star break are outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. The Dodgers lost reliever Todd Coffey for the season this week to an elbow injury.

Gordon injured his thumb Thursday when his hand caught the base on a head-first slide into third on a stolen base. At first, the Dodgers thought he had only dislocated the right thumb.

The leadoff hitter is batting .229 and leads the National League with 30 stolen bases. Starting at shortstop Thursday was Luis Cruz, called up from the minors on Tuesday.

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