Carlos Frias could force Dodgers to re-think middle innings in October.

Carlos Frias

Carlos Frias shut out the Washington Nationals for six innings in his first major-league start Wednesday. (Michael Owen Baker/Staff photographer)


Call it rational thought, but when Carlos Frias arrived in the Dodgers’ clubhouse in August, the tendency was to force the rookie pitcher into a limited array of roles.

Emergency spot starter.

Long reliever, preferably during an inconsequential blowout.

That’s what happens to 24-year-old rookies who had never pitched above Double-A baseball prior to the current year, who had an ERA in the fives during his first Triple-A season, right?
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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.”
Continue reading “Dodgers’ Josh Beckett remains on track to start Tuesday in Pittsburgh.” »

Tonight’s game story, photo gallery.

Dee Gordon

Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon collides with the wall while trying to catch a foul ball in the first inning Friday against the Padres. (Michael Owen Baker/Staff photographer)

Paul Maholm is starting tomorrow.

The story: http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20140711/loss-to-san-diego-padres-exposes-two-of-the-dodgers-weaknesses

The photos: http://photos.dailynews.com/2014/07/photos-dodgers-vs-padres-friday/#1

In the Dodgers’ starting rotation, “TBA” probably stands for “Paul Maholm.”

Ian Kennedy is the San Diego Padres’ scheduled starter for Saturday’s game at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers’ starter is still listed as “TBA.”

“Today’s game will determine what we do tomorrow,” manager Don Mattingly said.

What about Paul Maholm?

“Pretty good chance,” Mattingly said. “I feel like that’s our choice, but depending on how this game goes, how we have to use him or not use him, makes the choice for us.”

Plan B, Red Patterson, skipped his normal turn in the Albuquerque Isotopes’ rotation Friday night. Jeff Bennett started instead. Drew Carpenter is scheduled to start tomorrow.

Stay tuned for an announcement, conceivably after tonight’s game.