Only limited duty for Garciaparra

CHICAGO -- Nomar Garciaparra was activated Tuesday, but his strained left calf will severely limit his role for at least the next couple of days.

“It’ll be a game-breaking, pinch-hit situation where the importance of him getting further than first base is not that important,” Manager Grady Little said.

Garciaparra, who is hitting .404 with runners in scoring position, said his calf felt better when he jogged but added that he remained cautious.

“I’ve got to be pretty smart to not go out of the box sprinting,” he said. “It could be one little false step or one little hard step that could get me back to square one. We don’t want to take those steps backward.”

Garciaparra said he felt remnants of the soreness and swelling that sidelined him, but trainer Stan Conte said he didn’t object to him being activated because of the 35 other players in the Dodgers’ clubhouse.

“We thought with the roster expansion we could protect him for more games,” Conte said.

Garciaparra said he was unsure when he’d be ready to play third base again, admitting that not being able to do so by the season’s end was a possibility.

Little was noncommittal when asked if Garciaparra would go back to being an everyday player when fully recovered.

“When he’s able to run, we’ll see,” Little said. “We’re not really sure.”

Andy LaRoche, who was called up from triple A on Sunday, has started the last three games at third base.

Brett Tomko was released by the Dodgers and signed with the San Diego Padres to be their fifth starter. Because Tomko didn’t sign with the Padres by Aug. 31, he won’t be eligible to be on their playoff roster if they reach the postseason.

The Dodgers, who designated Tomko for assignment Aug. 24, will pay most of his salary for the remainder of the season. The Padres are responsible for a prorated share of the major league minimum, which is about $60,000 and will be deducted from the $700,000 or so owed by the Dodgers.

The Dodgers must also pay Tomko $1 million for buying out his option for next season.

Tomko was also courted by the Colorado Rockies, according to his agent, Joe Longo.

Among the five players called up from triple-A Las Vegas was infielder Tony Abreu, whose status in July and August remains in dispute.

Abreu strained an abdominal muscle while playing for the Dodgers in July, but wasn’t put on a disabled list until he was sent to triple-A Las Vegas. Being on the minor league DL as opposed to the major league DL cost Abreu money and service time.

A disagreement between the Dodgers and Abreu’s representatives arose because Abreu didn’t say he couldn’t play until he was demoted. Abreu landed on the inactive list at one point.

The players’ union is investigating the matter to determine whether it should file a grievance on behalf of Abreu, according to union attorney Jeff Fannell. The union has received medical reports from Abreu’s agent, Scott Boras, which state Abreu was hurt while playing in the majors. The Dodgers’ front office has sent the team’s medical records to the union, but the union is still waiting to receive them.

Fannell said the union should know whether it will move forward with the grievance process in the next week to 10 days.

Abreu refused to talk to reporters Tuesday.

Hong-Chih Kuo didn’t throw off the mound as expected because of soreness in his surgically repaired left elbow. Kuo was placed on the 60-day disabled list, retroactive to June 30, to make room on the 40-man roster for Wilson Valdez. . . . Randy Wolf will undergo exploratory shoulder surgery today in Los Angeles.

--

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com