"The news just keeps getting worse for the Dodgers.

The season is slipping away before their very eyes - the bats going silent, the San Diego Padres showing no signs of slowing down and four teams ahead of them in the National League wild-card race - and now comes word lead-off hitter Rafael Furcal suffered a back injury Monday and relief pitcher Jeff Weaver is headed to the disabled list with tendinitis in his left knee.

Manny Ramirez's return from a calf injury also suffered a setback Tuesday and it now looks like he won't be back with the Dodgers for another two weeks at the earliest.

Of more immediate concern is Furcal, who underwent an MRI Tuesday after tweaking his back while making a throw across the infield in Monday's loss to the Padres. The MRI revealed a strained back; the Dodgers list him as day to day.

Of course, any time the subject of Furcal and back injuries comes up it's impossible not to brace for the worst.

The All-Star shortstop was sidelined more than four months in 2008 with back trouble and eventually had surgery to relieve pain that extended to his leg. It's not clear if his latest problem is related to that injury, but the Dodgers certainly will not take any chances.

"Hopefully the fact it just happened, that he felt it on that throw, it indicates it's not related," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "But we won't know that until we get the results back.""