Andre Ethier works out with club despite injured finger

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Andre Ethier, nursing a small fracture in his right pinkie, worked out with the Dodgers -- but did not hit -- before their game Monday night against the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium.

Ethier injured the finger during pregame batting practice Saturday when the Dodgers were playing the Padres in San Diego, and he missed the team’s games Saturday and Sunday.

He stretched, ran on the outfield grass and went through other warm-up drills but did not take any swings during the Dodgers’ pregame practice.

Torre said the decision on whether Ethier would need to be placed on the disabled list would wait until Ethier was examined again later Monday night by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the team’s physician.

Ethier “came in and wrapped up and he’s got a splint on his finger” that keeps the lower knuckle from bending, Torre said. “It’s still pretty painful for him.”

The left-hander also made several throws to a teammate but did not catch any return throws so as not to aggravate the injury. He also held a bat and stood in the batter’s box in the Dodgers’ bullpen as pitcher Clayton Kershaw got in some work, but Ethier took no swings.

The left-handed batter, who’s currently the top hitter in the National League, returned to Los Angeles on Sunday to have the finger further examined and put in a splint, but the Dodgers said they didn’t yet know whether Ethier would have to go on the 15-disabled list.

Dodgers Manager Joe Torre was expected to say more about Ethier’s immediate future later Monday.

Ethier, 28, led the league Monday with a .392 batting average and 38 runs batted in, and he was tied for the home run lead with 11.

-- Jim Peltz