WASHINGTON (AP) - Andre Ethier’s terrific 2011 season is over.
In a year that saw him put together a 30-game hitting streak, the 29-year-old outfielder has been shut down for the rest of the season with a right knee injury, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Thursday before the start of their doubleheader with the Washington Nationals.
“It sounds like this is it,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Ethier, who batted .292 with 11 home runs and 62 RBIs, said he will have the knee examined by Dr. James Andrews.
“I’m just trying to figure this whole thing out right now and figure out a way to get it better where it won’t affect me for spring training,” Ethier said.
He said had no emotional reaction to his season ending. “Don’t feel anything. Still waiting, have to go figure out what’s going on,” Ethier said.
Ethier’s 30-game hitting streak _ the second-longest in Dodgers history _ and the second-longest in Major League Baseball this season _ was one of the few highlights for the team in 2011. The Dodgers went into bankruptcy protection and are in third place in the NL West _ far out of contention. Last week, owner Frank McCourt was offered $1.2 billion to sell the team to a group backed by Chinese government-owned investment banks.
Mattingly said that Ethier had an MRI earlier this week.
“We didn’t think it was going to get any better. It’s getting to the point where it sounds like they wanted to get another opinion,” Mattingly said.
Ethier went 2 for 5 in Tuesday’s game.
“He really played with this stuff last year. He’s really been swinging the bat pretty good lately, went to the gap the other night and seems to be running good and everything else,” Mattingly said.
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