Dodgers recall Scott Van Slyke (again), send down Dee Gordon

He’s up, he’s down, he’s up!

Actually, you would need a couple more of those to truly capture the yo-yo season of Scott Van Slyke, who once again is a Dodger.

The outfielder/first baseman was called up Friday from triple-A Albuquerque prior to the Dodgers’ game in Philadelphia. This will make his fourth stint with the Dodgers this season. They immediately put him in the lineup in right field for Andre Ethier, who is battling a sore calf and is sitting out because the Phillies are starting a left-hander (Cliff Lee).

Going the other direction was shortstop – soon to be second baseman? – Dee Gordon, a move that makes perfect sense for a couple of reasons.

With Hanley Ramirez healthy (shoulder) and coming out of his return Wednesday night without difficulty, there is no real need right now for Gordon, his speed aside. Defensively, he has to make the Dodgers wonder if he’s ever going to come around at shortstop. Those three errors on Sunday are a memory that tend to last. He did hit better (5 for 14) this stint and remains crazy fast, so it’s not like the Dodgers are going to give up on him.

But Van Slyke, 27, offers the one element missing from the Dodgers’ mighty mite reserves – power.

Van Slyke has six home runs in only 95 at-bats with the Dodgers this season, which still ties him for fifth on the team. In his six games back with Albuquerque since being optioned back on Aug. 4, he had two home runs.