Dodgers re-arm as Maddux re-ups

Greg Maddux is on his way back to Los Angeles to try to help the Dodgers make another push for the postseason.

The Dodgers reached an agreement with the San Diego Padres on Monday to acquire the 42-year-old right-hander in exchange for two players to be named, according to sources familiar with the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the trade is pending league approval.

The Dodgers acquired Maddux on the day of the 2006 non-waiver trade deadline and reached the playoffs that season.

The four-time Cy Young Award winner, who is 6-9 this season with a 3.99 earned-run average, is expected to report to Dodger Stadium today for the start of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti and team spokesperson Josh Rawitch said Monday night that the deal wasn’t complete.

Because league rules prohibit team officials from discussing players who are on or have cleared waivers, Rawitch and Colletti could not acknowledge that the Dodgers were in talks with the Padres on a potential deal.

Maddux, who is earning $10 million this season, cleared waivers earlier this month.

The future Hall of Famer will probably move into the Dodgers’ rotation, which became a man short Thursday when opening-day starter Brad Penny was moved to the disabled list for the second time this season because of shoulder inflammation. Manager Joe Torre said he did not expect Penny, who was sidelined for two months in his first stint on the DL, to pitch again this season.

Maddux, who has 353 career victories, has pitched well in his last three starts, posting a 2-1 record and 1.89 ERA in that span. In his last start, he dropped a decision to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday even though he held them to a run and five hits over seven innings.

He has had trouble away from pitcher-friendly Petco Park, where he has a 2.62 ERA. His road ERA is 5.75.

To make the deal happen, Maddux had to waive his full no-trade clause.

He told the Padres in the preceding months that he would accept only a deal to a contender on the West Coast, prompting talks between the Padres and Dodgers leading up to the July 31 non-waiver deadline. Maddux owns a home in Orange County.

Maddux was 6-3 with a 3.30 ERA in 12 starts for the Dodgers in the final two months of the 2006 season, helping them secure the National League wild-card berth. The Dodgers were swept by the New York Mets in a best-of-five-game division series that year.

Maddux will be the Dodgers’ third significant addition of the last month, the others being left fielder Manny Ramirez and third baseman Casey Blake.

The Dodgers will be paying at least a part of the remaining portion of Maddux’s contract, making him the first of four trade acquisitions this season whose entire salary isn’t being picked up by his former club.

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dylan.hernandez@latimes.com