Can throwing well in garbage time really be enough to save Charlie Haeger’s spot on the Dodgers’ roster?

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Somebody has to go come Friday.

That’s when reliever Jeff Weaver is expected to be activated, meaning someone has to go down, be released or disabled.

Which brings me to the fallout from Tuesday’s 11-6 debacle:

Could Charlie Haeger have done enough to save his spot on the roster?

Haeger has been a disappointment this season. In five games (four starts) he entered Tuesday 0-1 with a 7.45 ERA and having lost his spot in the rotation.

But Tuesday he went four innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk. He struck out three.

Afterward, Joe Torre sounded encouraged.

‘He certainly didn’t hurt himself tonight,’ Torre said. ‘The way he pitched four innings, I thought he did a good job.

‘He looked a lot more comfortable tonight.’

Good enough? Haeger remains my pick to be sent down -- he is out of options, though, and could be claimed -- though it’s no obvious choice.

Ramon Ortiz? John Ely? Somebody will have to make room for Weaver.

‘Unfortunately, the kids with the least experience are the ones most vulnerable,’ Torre said before the game.

That would imply Ely is most at risk, but somebody has to be in the rotation with Hiroki Kuroda, Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley. Actually two somebodys.

Ely is scheduled to make his second start since being called up on Thursday. It could prove significant for his immediate future.

‘We’re all curious to see how Ely comes up Thursday,’ Torre said. ‘If he comes up big, we’ll have to take a look at him.’

If he doesn’t, then what? Send him down and go with Carlos Monasterios and Haeger in the rotation? Haeger bombed the first time, but Torre seems to like him and is fascinated by the ability to frequently use the knuckleballer.

‘Haeger can do a lot of things,’ Torre said. ‘Certainly he can start, but he’s also that guy you can go to a lot in the bullpen without worrying about hurting him, based on him being a knuckleballer. He certainly has value.’

The Dodgers need a starter for Saturday. Right now, it’s TBD. Torre could go back to Monasterios, who pitched fairly well in his first start on Saturday.

Torre can’t be too excited about continuing to go with a pair of youngsters like Ely and Monasterios in his rotation, but the choices are limited.

You only need one hand to name baseball’s greatest knuckleballers, but Haeger’s versatility on a shaky staff seems to offer Torre continued intrigue. And then there was Tuesday’s modestly improved outing.

‘I’d like not to have given up that run in my first inning,’ Haeger said. ‘Some positive steps, I guess.’

Big enough? On this staff, how big do they really need to be?

-- Steve Dilbeck