Seanez is cut, but there are more decisions to be made

PHOENIX -- Joe Torre promised earlier this week the Dodgers wouldn’t make any roster moves while the team was in Arizona. But the manager didn’t say how long he’d wait once they had returned to Southern California.

Turns out the wait wasn’t long, with the team announcing it had released reliever Rudy Seanez shortly after touching down in Los Angeles.

A 16-year veteran who had spent parts of three seasons with the Dodgers, Seanez gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday’s final exhibition game in Arizona, but not all of that was his doing because the inning unraveled after outfielder Jason Repko lost a fly ball in the sun. The right-hander, who appeared a good bet to make the team after pitching in a career-high 73 games last season, gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings this spring.

Seanez, 39, who could have earned as much as $1.3 million in salary and bonuses this summer, will get $135,000 in separation pay. He would have made another $150,000 in bonuses if he had remained on the roster until opening day.

Neither Torre nor Seanez were available for comment Tuesday night.

Waiting game

Torre, who still has 15 players to pare from his roster before Monday’s season opener, will discuss his options with coaches and front-office personnel before Thursday’s exhibition in Anaheim, the first of the team’s final four spring training games.

“For the young players, this is when the game speeds up. And we’re at a spot when the veteran players, they get a little bored waiting for Monday,” he said. “It will be interesting for all of us to see what it’s going to look like when you add that extra deck on the ballpark and you have these young kids up there in [different] situations.

“I think we’re going to find that out.”

Also on the agenda for that meeting is the immediate future of second baseman Jeff Kent and third baseman Nomar Garciaparra, both of whom could start the season on the disabled list.

Kent, who hasn’t played since March 4 because of a sore hamstring, took batting practice and ran at half speed for a third consecutive day Tuesday and felt good enough afterward to joke with reporters. Garciaparra, out nearly three weeks because of a fracture in his right hand, was wearing a compression wrap to prevent further swelling Tuesday and almost certainly won’t be ready for the opener. Moreover, the Dodgers have privately expressed concern that Garciaparra’s injury could take more time to heal than previously thought.

Marcus Giles, a player the Dodgers have expressed interest in, could become available soon because the Colorado Rockies are planning on releasing him. But the Dodgers have doubts about his ability to play third, a position he played only nine times in the majors.

Another worry is All-Star closer Takashi Saito, who was scratched from Monday’s game because of tightness in his left buttock. Saito, who sat out the first two weeks of exhibition play while nursing a sore right calf, threw 25 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday and said there was still some tightness.

“There’s no question it’s a concern because you’re this close to the end,” Torre said.

Game report

Brad Penny struggled to control his splitter in his final tuneup for Monday’s opener, walking five in three innings of Tuesday’s 3-3 tie with the Brewers. But he gave up only a run and one hit to finish his spring with an earned-run average of 0.95.

Left-hander Clayton Kershaw followed Penny to the mound and was even more impressive, striking out six in three shutout innings. Kershaw, who turned 20 last week, is likely to start the season at double-A Jacksonville, Fla.

“Any time you can do well against these type of hitters it’s obviously a confidence booster,” said Kershaw, who has given up one run in 10 innings this spring. “But at the same time you’ve got to know that it’s spring training for these guys too. So we’ll see how it goes during the season.”

The Dodgers were two outs away from their fifth consecutive loss when rookie Blake DeWitt scored Ramon Martinez with a sacrifice fly to tie the score. When the Brewers failed to score in their half of the ninth, the game was called by mutual consent.

Staff writer Dylan Hernandez contributed to this story.

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kevin.baxter@latimes.com