"The news turned from bad to worse for the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Rafael Furcal, who felt something in his surgically repaired lower back the previous night, suffered what the Dodgers said was a strained back. He was listed as day to day.

The news wasn't much better from their spring training complex in Arizona. That's where trainer Stan Conte watched Manny Ramirez work out and told Manager Joe Torre that the $20-million outfielder probably wouldn't be ready to start a minor league rehabilitation for another week.

Furcal missed 4½ months of the 2008 season because of a herniated disk that forced him to undergo a midseason operation. Torre treated him with kid gloves last season, removing him from the lineup for day games and making sure he rested regularly.

Torre said Furcal was hurt making a throw in the fifth inning Monday. He was removed from the game in a double switch in the seventh.

"Hopefully, the fact that it just happened and that he felt it on that play, that indicates it's something that's not related," Torre said.

Torre never downplayed the gravity of Furcal's injury, even hinting he could be out for more than a couple of days.

"If we have to be without him for a while, we have some quality people — not on his level, but we have some quality people," he said.

Torre categorized the latest development with Ramirez as a setback, as Ramirez was eligible to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday and expected to start a minor league assignment this week."