Josh Beckett starts Tuesday, and the immediate future of the Dodgers’ rotation.

Josh Beckett

Associated Press photo

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly confirmed that Josh Beckett will come off the disabled list and start tomorrow’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, “barring anything unforeseen happening today.”

Beckett missed only one start after being placed on the disabled list July 8. Paul Maholm stepped in and threw six shutout innings against the San Diego Padres on July 12.

The Dodgers will need to make a corresponding roster move when Beckett is activated from the DL. The most likely candidate to come off the roster is left-hander Paco Rodriguez, if only because he can be optioned to Triple-A and the Dodgers will still have two left-handed pitchers in the bullpen: Maholm and J.P. Howell.

The Dodgers have days off on Thursday and Monday. Will Mattingly reshuffle the rotation?

Dan Haren has lost three straight starts while posting a 9.64 earned-run average. By skipping his next turn, aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke would each pitch this weekend against the San Francisco Giants and next week against the Atlanta Braves.

“It’s not something we’re willing to talk about at this point,” Mattingly said. “We know who’s going to pitch these next three games. From there, we start having some options. We want to make sure everybody knows where they’re going to be so their work schedule goes along with that.”

Dodgers’ Josh Beckett remains on track to start Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

ST. LOUIS>>Josh Beckett seems unlikely to miss another start after the right-hander threw a bullpen session Saturday morning at Busch Stadium without pain in his left hip.

“I felt like my mechanics were a lot sharper than I was expecting them to be, and the actual feel of the bullpen, also the way my body felt, was better than I thought,” Beckett said.

Drew Butera, who caught Beckett in the bullpen, said “that was as clean as I’ve seen him in a while.”
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Dodgers place Josh Beckett on 15-day disabled list with left hip impingement.

Josh Beckett

Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett threw five shutout innings Sunday in Colorado. (Associated Press photo)

Josh Beckett, whose 2.26 earned-run average is second among Dodgers starters, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left hip impingement Tuesday.

Beckett last pitched two days ago in Colorado and threw five shutout innings, earning his sixth win of the season. His next scheduled start was Friday in Los Angeles against the San Diego Padres. After that, Beckett wouldn’t have pitched until after the All-Star break, so it’s possible that Beckett will miss only one start. He’s eligible to return July 22, the second game of a three-game series in Pittsburgh.

Right-handed pitcher Pedro Baez was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque. The 26-year-old had a 4.50 ERA in 17 appearances, all in relief, since being promoted from Double-A on May 25.

Baez appeared in his first and only major-league game with the Dodgers on May 5. He allowed two runs on two hits in one inning against the Nationals.

The Dodgers are scheduled to play the Detroit Tigers at 4 p.m. today at Comerica Park.

Clayton Kershaw, Josh Beckett nominated for ESPY awards.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been nominated for Best Baseball Player, and Josh Beckett is a finalist for Best Comeback Athlete, as voting for the ESPY awards began Tuesday.

Kershaw won the National League Cy Young Award in 2013 and last week threw the first no-hitter of his career. Beckett missed most of last season with thoracic outlet syndrome, then came back this year to pitch a no-hitter of his own.

The ESPY awards will air July 16 on ESPN, during the MLB All-Star break. Drake is hosting the annual made-for-TV awards show at the Nokia Theater.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly wasn’t nominated in the Best Fighter category.

Don  Mattingly Alan  Trammell

(Getty Images)

Chad Billingsley’s season is in jeopardy after MRI reveals torn flexor tendon in right elbow.

Chad Billingsley

Chad Billingsley made two rehab starts for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga this season and didn’t make it out of the second inning in either appearance. (Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Twitter)

Chad Billingsley‘s season is in jeopardy after an MRI scan Thursday revealed a partial tear of the flexor tendon in his right elbow.

Though surgery is commonly performed, Billingsley is planning to discuss his options with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache in the coming days before deciding on a course of action.

The prognosis for recovery from torn flexor tendon surgery varies greatly.
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