Giles won’t be the answer at third

Rookie Blake DeWitt will continue to get the chance to be the Dodgers’ third baseman for the next couple of weeks, but the club’s search for a replacement for the sidelined Nomar Garciaparra and Andy LaRoche hasn’t stopped, Manager Joe Torre acknowledged.

A remote possibility to take over the position became an impossibility Tuesday.

Free-agent second baseman Marcus Giles recanted on the agreement he made with the Dodgers in the morning to play third base at their triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas for 1-2 weeks to make his case to earn a spot on their major league roster. Giles went as far as to start driving to Nevada from his home in Lake Havasu, Ariz., but he didn’t get far.

“He decided that it just wasn’t what he wanted to do,” said Giles’ agent, Joe Bick. “I don’t think he sees himself as a third baseman. The Dodgers were great about it.”

Giles, who has played only nine games at third base, was in camp with the Colorado Rockies, but lost the battle for the starting job at second base to rookie Jason Nix and was released.

Wes Helms of the Philadelphia Phillies could be the replacement at third for the Dodgers that Giles wasn’t.

The Phillies on Monday signed right-hander Rudy Seanez, whom the Dodgers released last week, and a source close to Helms said that Helms could be designated for assignment today to clear roster space for Seanez.

The Phillies had an agreement with Seanez over the weekend, baseball sources said, but they postponed the announcement because they wanted to maintain a certain amount of leverage when shopping Helms to other teams, among them the Dodgers. But the Dodgers didn’t bite, in part because of the $2.9 million Helms is guaranteed. Helms will earn $2.15 million this season and has a $3.75-million club option for 2009 that could be bought out for $750,000.

If Helms is designated for assignment, the Phillies would have 10 days to decide whether to waive, trade or release him. If Helms is released, the Phillies would be responsible for the money owed to him and the Dodgers would be able to sign him for the major league minimum of $390,000.

But however much or little Helms makes, there are concerns about the 31-year old’s ability at the plate, as he hit only .246 with five home runs in 280 at-bats last season with Philadelphia’s hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park as his home field.

From Helms’ side, the Dodgers might not be on the top of his list of free-agent destinations, as the expected returns of Garciaparra and LaRoche could make teams such as Atlanta and Florida more attractive.

The Dodgers like Houston’s Mark Loretta, but were told by the Astros that he wasn’t available because he will replace the injured Kaz Matsui at second base.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ three injured third basemen are on the mend.

Garciaparra said that he is able to throw without pain, but his injured hand still hurts when he holds a bat and doesn’t know when he can resume hitting. Torre said Garciaparra probably would need to have a rehabilitation assignment before returning to the major league roster.

LaRoche had a cast and three pins removed from his surgically repaired right thumb Tuesday, and an X-ray showed that his torn tendon was healed. LaRoche took ground balls during pregame warmups, but said he didn’t know when he would be able to hit or throw. After his surgery March 10, LaRoche was expected to be out for at least six weeks.

Third-stringer Tony Abreu will be sent to Vero Beach to rehabilitate his strained right groin when the Dodgers travel for a three-game series in San Diego on Thursday.

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dylan.hernandez@latimes.com