GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dodgers catcher Russell Martin was taken to a Phoenix-area hospital for an MRI exam on Saturday after complaining of soreness in his lower right abdomen. Martin was scheduled to be examined by Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, but no results were expected until late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.
Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Martin, a former All-Star, had felt pain in his stomach for a few days but didn't tell club officials until Saturday because he didn't think it was anything to worry about.
"Evidently, it couldn't have been too bad the first few days," Torre said. "He just felt it was part of the normal spring training discomfort."
Martin played in Friday's Cactus League opener, catching five innings and going to the plate three times. He struck out and grounded out, then walked, stole second base and eventually scored his final time up.
He came to Camelback Ranch on Saturday morning complaining that the discomfort had intensified, at which point he was sent for a medical exam.
Torre said he hadn't considered contingency plans in the event the team loses Martin for a long period. Martin is expected to catch the majority of the games, as he has done for each of the past four seasons, with backup Brad Ausmus starting in his place once a week or so. Barring acquiring a catcher from outside the organization, the most likely scenario in the event of a long absence by Martin is Triple-A catcher A.J. Ellis becoming the primary catcher with Ausmus remaining the backup.
Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com