The Dodgers just claimed Esteban Loaiza off waivers from Oakland, and this is a significant pickup. The veteran right-hander is a two-time All-Star, and he is signed through next season with a club option for 2009, so he figures to be in the Dodgers’ starting rotation through next season. He has a three-year, $21.375M contract, which means the Dodgers will be on the hook for about $8.5M even if they don’t pick up the option. Loaiza missed the first 4 1/2 months of the season with the A’s because of injuries, first a bulging disk and later surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, but he was solid in the two starts he made since coming back, both of them against Toronto. He pitched a total of 14 2/3 innings, giving up just three earned runs on 10 hits. No word as to when he will start for the Dodgers, but his last start was on Monday night, so my guess is he’ll be slotted somewhere into the San Diego series, possibly on Saturday night to give Lowe and Billingsley an extra day of rest. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved Jason Repko to the 60-day DL. There won’t be a 25-man move until he shows up on Friday.