With Josh Beckett injured, Dodgers add one pitcher and look for more

On Wednesday, pitcher Josh Beckett told the Dodgers he had experienced renewed discomfort in his injured left hip. On Thursday, the Dodgers acquired pitcher Roberto Hernandez from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hernandez is scheduled to start for the Dodgers on Friday, with Beckett expected to go on the disabled list. Manager Don Mattingly said the Dodgers would await word from the team’s medical staff before discussing whether Beckett would miss the rest of the season.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said he also hopes to acquire a swingman to replace the injured Paul Maholm.

“There’s another pitcher out there we’re trying to get,” Colletti said.

Colletti also said he would continue to search for additional back-end starters and late-inning relievers.

“Right now, the best choice we have is Roberto,” Colletti said.

Hernandez, 33, went 6-8 with a 3.87 earned-run average for the Phillies. The Dodgers will assume his remaining salary -- a little less than $1.5 million -- and the Phillies will get one month to determine which two low-level minor leaguers they would like from a list of four players.

Colletti said the Dodgers already had scouted Hernandez, but trade talks “accelerated” in the previous 24 hours so that the deal could be completed before news of the Beckett injury broke and “Ruben could hold me up for even more,” referring to Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

If the Dodgers had not completed the deal, Mattingly said that rookie Carlos Frias would have started Friday. However, Colletti said the Dodgers believe long relief is the “proper spot” for Frias right now.

The Dodgers also promoted left-hander Chris Reed to triple-A Albuquerque, and Colletti said he would watch him in person Saturday. Reed, a first-round draft pick in 2011, went 4-8 with a 3.22 ERA at double-A Chattanooga, with five quality starts in his last six starts.