ESPN Los Angeles is reporting that Dodger outfielder Andre Ethier is to visit with Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama. The visit concerns Ethier’s troublesome right knee.

This visit all but ends Ethier’s 2011 season. He was expected to have surgery on the knee in the offseason, but now could have it much sooner.

“We knew his symptoms, and it hadn’t gotten worse, but we don’t want it to get worse,” Mattingly said. “It definitely doesn’t sound like something that will be with him the rest of his career once it is taken care of. We will go into next year expecting him to be fully healthy for spring training. … By getting this taken care of now, it allows him to heal and get his work done and come to spring training ready to go.”

The pain has stemmed from last season, but Ethier played through it. He considered surgery last winter, but decided against it.

Initially, it seemed as if Ethier would make it through the season without the injury hampering him as he began the season on fire. However, little-by-little the wear would become more noticeable.

Ethier was in the midst of a stretch that saw him batting .400 over the last eight games.

His 11 home runs this season are well below his usual pace and his lowest since his rookie season in 2006, when he was called up after a month into the season.