LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles third baseman Mike Blowers will miss the rest of the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee while running the bases in Wednesday night's game against San Diego.
The injury was diagnosed as a torn anterior cruciate ligament after an MRI exam Thursday. Blowers is expected to have surgery after the swelling goes down in two weeks.
Recovery should take six to eight months, and Blowers is expected to be ready to play by spring training.
Mike Busch, who was a replacement player during the strike, was recalled to fill Blowers' spot on the roster. Interim manager Bill Russell said he plans to platoon Busch and Dave Hansen at third base.
Blowers, who played the previous four seasons with the Seattle Mariners, visited their clubhouse Thursday before the start of their series at Anaheim Stadium. He talked with trainer Rick Griffin, who helped former Mariner Tino Martinez with his rehabilitation from the same injury.
"I knew it was serious, but I didn't think I'd miss the rest of the year," Blowers said. "It couldn't happen at a worse time for me. I'm really disappointed."
Blowers twisted his knee when he broke toward the plate on a pitch by Joey Hamilton that deflected off catcher John Flaherty's glove and rolled toward the third-base dugout.
Blowers' spikes got caught on the dirt and he collapsed, clutching his knee. San Diego third baseman Ken Caminiti retrieved the ball and gently tagged out Blowers.
"I felt my whole knee rotate," Blowers said. "It felt like my whole knee fell apart on me. That's why I grabbed my knee. I wanted to feel what was there. It was a pain I've never felt before."
Blowers is in his first season with the Dodgers after coming to Los Angeles from Seattle in a trade last November for two minor leaguers. He was hitting .265, with six homers and 38 RBIs for Los Angeles.
He had not been on the disabled list since making his major league debut with the Yankees in 1989.
Associated Press. "Dodgers third baseman lost for season". 18 Jul., 1996.
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