DODGERS NOTEBOOK: INJURIES CONTINUE TO TAKE TOLL.

Byline: Tony Jackson Staff Writer

CHICAGO - Dodgers center fielder Milton Bradley will return to Los Angeles on Monday to be examined by a hand specialist and possibly undergo an MRI on his right ring finger, where a torn ligament still wasn't any better on Friday.

The switch-hitting Bradley can swing right-handed with little to no pain, but the pain returns when he swings from the left side.

Bradley had little to say on the matter.

``I don't talk about injuries,'' he said.

Meanwhile, catcher Paul Bako also will leave the team Monday to see Dr. Ralph Gambardella to see if a determination can be made as to why Bako's mildly sprained left knee still hasn't healed. Bako has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 27, three days longer than Bradley.

``(Bako) caught Derek Lowe's side session on Tuesday, and he didn't feel right somehow,'' Dodgers manager Jim Tracy said.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Tracy said left-hander Odalis Perez (shoulder) will make at least one more rehabilitation start for Triple-A Las Vegas after his next scheduled one Monday, when Perez is slated to throw 50-55 pitches.

``I think there is a good chance this won't be the last one due to where his pitch count will be,'' Tracy said. ``You're not going bring a guy to the big leagues to start in a game when you only have 50 pitches available to you.''

--New position: With tough left-hander Mark Buehrle starting for the Chicago White Sox, Tracy stacked his lineup with right-handers. That included regular catcher Jason Phillips playing first base for the first time this season.

Phillips played the position on a semi-regular basis while with the New York Mets and still takes grounders there during batting practice.

``I try to get over there once a week,'' he said. ``It will probably take a while for me to get used to it again, moreso because I haven't played in this yard, either. I need to see the background and the way the field plays.''

--Merricks returned: The Colorado Rockies offered Rule 5 draftee Matt Merricks, a left-handed pitcher, back to the Dodgers, who accepted. Merricks was assigned to Single-A Vero Beach, partly because he is coming off an injury, but general manager Paul DePodesta was non-committal on how long he will stay there.

``We'll see,'' DePodesta said. ``That's just where he ended last year for us.''

--Another signing: The Dodgers have signed outfielder Trayvon Robinson, their 10th-round pick in last week's draft out of Crenshaw High School.