Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez will undergo right thumb surgery today and is expected to be out eight weeks.
Ramirez tore ligaments in his thumb Tuesday night while playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic championship game.
Dr. Steve Shin, who is a sport-medicine hand specialist, is scheduled to perform the surgery in Los Angeles.
“It’s something I can’t control,” Ramirez told reporters in Arizona. “It could’ve happened anywhere. It could’ve happened here. It unfortunately happened in the WBC. It’s very disappointing.”
Ramirez could begin his rehab in three weeks, according to Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti. But, Colletti dismissed any thought of making a trade to fill the temporary void at shortstop.
For now, Luis Cruz appears to be the leading candidate to start at shortstop on Opening Day.
Dee Gordon, who was the Dodgers shortstop last season until he underwent similar thumb surgery, appeared to be headed down to the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque. He played in 87 games last season with a batting average of .228, 17 RBI’s with one home run.
Cruz, who is former shortstop, has been playing third base during spring training and was expected to be the starter at third for the season opener against the Giants. Juan Uribe will be the leading contender to replace Cruz at third, if he moves over to shortstop.
“Right now, I have no idea what happens at shortstop,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Thursday. “At this point, everything is hypothetical. I don’t know if I’m comfortable with anything going on at shortstop right now.”
Ramirez came over to the Dodgers in trade from the Miami Marlins last season. He initially started at third base before moving to his original position at shortstop. After the trade, the 29-year-old Ramirez put up solid numbers with 11 doubles, 10 home runs and 44 RBI’s.
