LOS ANGELES -- The season of injury continues for Jose Valentin. And now that season probably is over. The Mets second baseman, assigned to the disabled from April 29-June 6, was removed from the Mets game at Dodger Stadium on Friday night after suffering a fracture of the tibia -- the longer bone in the lower leg -- in his right leg.

The Mets provided no immediate prognosis.

Valentin, 37, was batting against Brett Tomko in the fourth inning. He fouled a 2-1 pitch directly into his leg. He was removed immediately, with Ruben Gotay completing his at-bat.

Valentin's DL assignment this year was related to his partially tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He could do no more than pinch-hit in his first two appearances following the All-Star break because he had injured the pinky on his right hand during the time off.

His injury is reminiscent of one suffered by Jermaine Dye in 2001 when Dye was with the A's. He fouled off a pitch of his leg in the playoffs against the Yankees and didn't play again until late April the following year.