Dodgers buy time, activate Carl Crawford and option Brandon Beachy

Is it time for the unkindest cut of all?

Not yet, at least not for another few days.

The Dodgers have been a transaction machine all season, players coming and going on an almost daily basis. Usually they’ve consisted of peripheral players taking the temporary spot of someone coming off the disabled list.

It all was pretty obvious and fairly cut and dry, until now.

On Tuesday, the Dodgers activated outfielder Carl Crawford. To open a spot for him on the 25-man roster, the Dodgers sent down right-hander Brandon Beachy. To open a spot on the 40-man, they designated for assignment reliever Preston Guilmet.

And it’s still a temporary fix. They’ll need another starter in four days. The Dodgers are almost hoping someone gets injured enough to be placed on the disabled list so they can avoid a painful choice.

They could activate Zack Lee to take Beachy’s next turn. Although he was called up Sunday, it was for the rare 26th-man spot and does not prevent him from being returning in less than the normal 10-day period.

Barring some unexpected and convenient injury by Saturday, someone the Dodgers would prefer to hang on to is going to have to go.

Alberto Callaspo would seem to be the most expendable. He’s batting .253 with four RBI in 84 plate appearances, but the Dodgers think he’s easily the best backup to Justin Turner. They don’t like to play Turner more than three consecutive days and don’t trust the third-base play of Alex Guerrero and Enrique Hernandez.

They probably would like to send down Guerrero, who after his absolutely torrid start, has hit just .169 in his last 72 plate appearances with .178 on-base and .239 slugging percentages. Guerrero’s contract, however, does not allow for him to be sent down without his permission, and you’d best not count on that.

The versatility of Hernandez makes him difficult to move, plus the Dodgers think he’s their best backup option at shortstop, which is somewhat scary.

And that unfortunately points to Scott Van Slyke.

Van Slyke has a .184/.311/.421 slash line in his last 45 plate appearances, but he remains a power bat off the bench and Manager Don Mattingly is comfortable using him all over the outfield. And he can play first base. He’s starting in left Tuesday against the Braves.

Van Slyke was dropped from the 40-man roster and cleared waivers in 2012, which gave him one additional option.

Coming off his second Tommy John surgery, Beachy has clearly not looked ready in his two starts for the Dodgers (7.88 ERA, 2.00 WHIP) and could benefit from more work in the minors.

Guilmet is another of those recent additions the Dodgers barely got to know. The Dodgers claimed him July 10 from Tampa Bay. He made three relief appearances at triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing one run.