Emergency Surgery Saves Mark Ellis Leg

Scary Stuff

Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday following emergency surgery to remove pressure on his left leg, and will remain hospitalized until the middle of next week. He is expected to be out for at least six weeks.

“He was sent to the hospital, and testing showed elevated pressure in several compartments of the lower leg,” Dodgers trainer Sue Falsone told reporters following the Dodgers’ 6-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. “There was trauma to the area where everything kind of swells up, so you have to open up the fascia and basically release that pressure. They will keep an eye on it and most likely close that wound up on Tuesday.”

Ellis, 34, is the fifth position player and fourth regular that manager Don Mattingly has lost in a span of 11 days.

He was injured during the seventh inning of Friday night’s 6-5 Dodgers victory when he took a short toss from shortstop Dee Gordon on a fielder’s choice grounder by Shane Robinson and was upended by Tyler Greene on a hard but clean slide. The surgical procedure included having blood and fluids drained from his leg if they waited three or four more hours, Ellis may have lost his leg.The Dodgers already have center fielder Matt Kemp, third baseman Juan Uribe, left fielder Juan Rivera and utility infielder Jerry Hairston Jr. on the DL.

Ellis is batting .273 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 37 games with the Dodgers, who signed him as a free agent in November to a two-year, $8.75 million contract. The 11-year veteran had a fielding percentage of .900 or better in each of the previous seven seasons, and his .991 career mark entering this season was the second-best in history among second baseman behind Placido Polanco’s .993 mark.

Infielder Ivan DeJesus was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to fill Ellis roster spot.