Dodgers’ Andre Ethier scratched from Padres game with finger injury

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Andre Ethier, the National League’s leading hitter, was a last-minute scratch from the Dodgers’ starting lineup Saturday night after he injured a finger during batting practice.

The Dodgers said Ethier jammed his right pinkie before the Dodgers played the Padres at Petco Park in San Diego. He was replaced in right field by veteran Garret Anderson.

There was no immediate word on how long the injury might keep Ethier sidelined.

Entering the game, the left-handed-hitting Ethier led the NL in all three Triple Crown categories, with 11 home runs, 38 runs batted in and a .392 batting average.

[Updated at 9:15 p.m.: The Dodgers said after the game that Ethier suffered a small fracture in his finger, and that he would miss Sunday’s game as well because he is returning to Los Angeles for further examination. Manager Joe Torre said Ethier wasn’t hit with a pitch, but rather got his finger pinched around the bat as he was swinging.]

-- Jim Peltz in San Diego