Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal, on the disabled list retroactive to May 6 with a sore lower back, was examined in Los Angeles by Dr. Robert Watkins, a back specialist. There is no timetable for Furcal's return. "We're not close yet," manager Joe Torre said.

Furcal will likely need rehab assignment

MLB.com notes that Rafael Furcal suffered a setback from his return from a back injury on Thursday. He won't join the team on the road this week in Chicago and New York since the long flights would cause him more discomfort. "Unless they move New York closer between now and Thursday, I'm not really certain that he'll make that," team trainer Stan Conte said. Furcal is staying behind to get treatment and work in a stabilization exercise program designed to strengthen his back.

Furcal out for another week

Dodgers' Furcal remains sidelined

Furcal wants to return without rehab stint

Conte: Furcal unlikely to return Wednesday

The Los Angeles Times reports that Dodgers manager Joe Torre is optimistic that SS Rafael Furcal (back) could return as soon as Friday.

Torre: Furcal could return Friday

Report: Furcal might return Wednesday

Dodgers place Furcal on 15-day DL

The Dodgers placed Rafael Furcal on the 15-day DL after they realized his back injury is worse than originally thought. He is eligible to return May 21, but might not be ready by then, according to MLB.com. The team's official site expects Luis Maza to be called up from Triple-A Las Vegas, where he is hitting .402, third in the Pacific Coast League. Chin-lung Hu is expected to start in Furcal's absence.

Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal will be placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of a lower back strain that has caused him to miss Los Angeles' last five games. Team spokesman Mark Rogoff said Furcal would go on the disabled list retroactive to May 6, making him eligible to return May 21. They'll replace Furcal on their 25-man roster before the game, possibly with infielder Luis Maza, who has been playing at Triple-A Las Vegas. Chin-lung Hu is expected to start in Furcal's absence.

Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal will be placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of a lower back strain that has caused him to miss Los Angeles' last five games. Team spokesman Mark Rogoff said Furcal would go on the disabled list retroactive to May 6, making him eligible to return May 21. Rogoff said an MRI taken Monday confirmed the switch-hitting shortstop has a lower back strain. He'll receive a cortisone shot Tuesday and began rehabilitation Wednesday with team physical therapist Sue Falsone, Rogoff added. Furcal is the third-leading hitter in the National League with a .366 average. They'll replace Furcal on their 25-man roster before the game, possibly with infielder Luis Maza, who has been playing at Triple-A Las Vegas. Chin-lung Hu is expected to start in Furcal's absence.

Dodgers to place Furcal on 15-day DL

Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal missed his fifth straight game because of stiffness in his lower back Sunday against the Astros. The Dodgers have an off day Monday, making a Tuesday return likely.

Furcal out until Tuesday with back tightness

Dodgers manager Joe Torre was going to put SS Rafael Furcal back in the lineup Saturday against the Astros, but Furcal told him about two hours before the game that he has discomfort running, according to MLB.com. "Every game is important," Torre said, "but you don't want to lose sight of how important this game is in the course of a long season. He's too valuable to lose." Furcal instead missed his fourth straight game and is a game-time decision for Sunday.

Furcal misses third game with back tightness

Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal missed his third straight game because of lower back stiffness Friday against the Astros. He said Wednesday that he expected to return Friday.

MLB.com reports that Rafael Furcal (back) expects to be in the lineup for Friday night's series opener against Houston. Furcal reported improvement in his sore back prior to Wednesday's afternoon game against the Mets, but was not in the lineup for that game.

Dodgers shortstop and leadoff man Rafael Furcal couldn't play Tuesday against the Mets because of lower back stiffness. Furcal, second in the majors with a .369 average, was the only player to start each of the Dodgers' first 31 games. According to MLB.com, trainer Stan Conte said the injury is in the sacroiliac joint, but didn't think Furcal would miss "more than a day or so."

Furcal scratched from lineup with sore back

Blake DeWitt hit his first major league home run, Rafael Furcal had a leadoff shot and Matt Kemp also connected to help the Dodgers beat the Mets 5-1 on Monday for the their ninth victory in 10 games.

Rafael Furcal hit a leadoff homer against beleaguered Oliver Perez, and the surging Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 5-1 on Monday. Perez (2-3) lost his third straight start, allowing five runs and six hits over six innings. It was his first start since Mets closer Billy Wagner's public criticism of the left-hander, who gave up a combined total of 12 runs, eight hits and nine walks against Washington and Pittsburgh in his previous two outings. Perez's woes continued in the opener of this three-game series, as the switch-hitting Furcal drove an 0-2 pitch to left-center for the 23rd leadoff homer of his career and 11th with the Dodgers. Furcal came in 4-for-19 lifetime against Perez, who had allowed only one home run over 29 innings in his previous six starts this season.

The Sports Xchange reports that Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal went hitless in four at-bats Sunday, marking the first time this season he didn't reach base safely. Furcal became the first Dodgers player to reach base in the first 30 games of a season since Duke Snider reached in his first 34 games in 1955. Furcal entered the day leading the majors with 48 hits and 33 runs.

Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal scored three times in Saturday's 12-7 win over the Rockies and now has 10 runs scored in his last four games. He also walked and stole a base in the game.

Rafael Furcal can't remember having a better stretch at the plate. The Los Angeles shortstop had three hits, including a three-run homer in a seven-run sixth inning, and the Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 11-6 Friday night for their seventh straight win. "This is the best of my career," Furcal said. "When you go up and it's going well, anything can happen. You look forward to every at-bat." Even his miss-hits are going for hits. Furcal had a swinging bunt with the bases loaded in the eighth that turned into an RBI single. Even he had to smile about that one. "I've found a lot of gaps and I've made some damage," said Furcal, who has reached base safely in every game this season and is batting .380.

Furcal has another big game for Dodgers

Dodgers SS Rafael Furcal continued his fine start to the season Wednesday when he got a career-high five hits in a 13-1 win over the Marlins. Furcal smacked a double, scored three times and also stole a base. He now has 17 extra-base hits, the most by a Dodger at the end of April since the team moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Furcal's batting average rose to .381. "He's a motivator for everybody in the clubhouse, and then he goes out and puts his money where his mouth is," manager Joe Torre said.