Dodgers’ rotation woes only continue as they place Carlos Monasterios on the disabled list

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Yep, another day, another starting pitcher goes down.

This time it’s rookie right-hander Carlos Monasterios, placed on the disabled list with a blister on his right middle finger and a split nail on his right index finger.

Young Monasterios wasn’t long for the rotation anyway, having struggled in his last three starts and with Vicente Padilla activated Saturday. Monasterios being DLed made room on the roster for Padilla.

Now, however, the Dodgers are in a proverbial pickle.

They have no one anywhere ready to step into the rotation.

Not in the bullpen, not at triple-A, not coming off the disabled list, not hanging around the corridors of Dodger Stadium.

With an off-day on Monday, the Dodgers won’t need to fill the fifth spot again until Saturday. By then, they’ll have an answer, whatever it is.

Choices are bullpen by committee approach (risky, since it means counting on the starters Friday and Sunday going deep in the game), Claudio Vargas (just signed to triple-A after being released by Milwaukee) or … or what?

One possible candidate could have been left-hander Scott Elbert, the Dodgers’ 2009 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, but he’s on the inactive list.

Elbert was apparently upset about a quick demotion and asked, and received, permission May 28 from the Dodgers to leave the club for what was described as a family matter.
‘We haven’t had any response from Scott Elbert,’ manager Joe Torre told reporters in Boston ‘[Bullpen coach] Kenny Howell had reached out to him.

‘He’s important to us and I always let him know that. He has big-league stuff and a major-league heart. It’s sad right now. We need to keep communicating with him. I don’t think we know anything definitive yet with him.’

Vargas was a reliever for the Brewers and owner of a 7.32 ERA in 17 appearances before being released two weeks ago.

The Dodgers, desperate for starting help, signed him and put him in the Albuquerque rotation. In his first start Thursday, he gave up a solo home run in three innings, striking out four with one walk.

Torre said Vargas, who pitched briefly for the Dodgers last season, could possibly throw up to 75 pitches.

Torre said the Dodgers hoped to make a decision on Saturday’s starter by Tuesday or Wednesday. Vargas could start again Tuesday for Albuquerque.

Last season the Dodgers’ emergency starter was Jeff Weaver, but this season he’s been used as an one-inning, situational reliever. Charlie Haeger started the season as the fifth starter but has done nothing but struggle and is back at Albuquerque on a rehab assignment.

This is, of course, a situation of the Dodgers’ offseason movement, or lack thereof. For now, they have to battle through until Chad Billingsley (groin) is able to come off the DL.

-- Steve Dilbeck