Dodgers early notes: Billingsley session pushed back

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TUCSON -- Chad Billingsley‘s scheduled bullpen session today will take place on Friday instead -- at least according to the tentative schedule set by pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. If Billingsley makes it through that session without any problems, he’ll pitch in a simulated game on Sunday. He was originally scheduled to make a start in a Cactus League game that day.

Claudio Vargas, who was pounded for four runs in an inning on Wednesday, is experiencing discomfort in his throwing elbow. The pain is in a different part of the elbow than he hurt last year, Manager Joe Torre said.

James McDonald, the front-runner to be the Dodgers’ fifth starter, will have his pitch count increased to 65 today when he faces the Colorado Rockies. Eric Milton is also scheduled to pitch.

Here’s the Dodgers’ lineup:
Xavier Paul RF
Brad Ausmus C
James Loney 1B
Matt Kemp CF
Blake DeWitt 3B
Jason Repko LF
Chin-lung Hu SS
Juan Castro 2B
James McDonald RHP

-- Dylan Hernandez