Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett struggles in second spring start

PHOENIX -- Coming into spring training, the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation appeared to be Josh Beckett’s to lose.

And if he has many more outings like the one he did Saturday against the Seattle Mariners, that could be exactly what happens.

In his second Cactus League start, Beckett was pounded for five runs and six hits — three of them long home runs — in a three-inning, 52-pitch outing in which he fooled nobody.

“The game plan was to throw heaters,” said Beckett, who struck out three batters in two scoreless innings in his first spring outing a week ago. “I didn’t know those guys were in [our] meeting before the game. They figured it out pretty quick.”

If Beckett, who is owed $15.75 million this season, continues to struggle that could open the door for left-hander Paul Maholm, who signed a $1.5-million free-agent deal last month that could earn him as much as $5 million with incentives.

In the first game of Saturday’s split-squad doubleheader, Maholm struck out four Texas Rangers in three innings. In five spring innings he has given up a run and four hits and has yet to walk a batter.

“You obviously want to have good results. Nobody wants to go out there and pitch bad,” said Beckett, who was 0-5 with a 5.19 earned-run average in eight starts last year before having season-ending surgery in July to remove a rib to relieve pressure on his right side.

“I was focused on working out something. But you still want results. I got hurt on the exact thing I came in working on. Today was really just trying to get fastballs into lefties. I just wasn’t getting there in my last start. And obviously didn’t get them there today either.”

Greinke, Kemp step up rehabs

Zack Greinke, limited to four spring-training pitches by a strained right calf, was pleased with the way he felt during a two-inning simulated game Saturday.

Pitching to Matt Kemp and minor leaguer Scott Schebler, Greinke threw 17 pitches, took a break in the dugout, then returned to the mound to throw a second inning, varying speeds and using all his pitches.

“It went pretty good,” Greinke said. “It’s not 100% but it should be in a couple of days.”

Greinke said he’ll get a better idea of how his calf is doing when he does some fielding drills in a few days.

Meanwhile Kemp, who had surgery on his left ankle in October, ran the bases in addition to hitting Saturday, testing his leg by making turns around the bag at first.

Neither Kemp nor Greinke will accompany the Dodgers on their season-opening trip to Australia later this month.

Puig excused

Yasiel Puig was given permission to leave camp Saturday to attend to what Manager Don Mattingly referred to as a personal issue.

“This hasn’t been a big deal. We’ve known about it since the beginning of camp,” said Mattingly, who declined further explanation. He said Puig will be in the lineup Sunday.

It’s been a spotty spring for Puig, who reported to camp at 251 pounds, 26 pounds heavier than he was at the end of last season. He came out of a game last week with inflammation in his upper back and is hitting just .176 with no homers and three runs batted in.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com