Valdes Goes on Disabled List

Another arm dropped out of the Dodger rotation Thursday.

As expected, right-hander Ismael Valdes, suffering from a strained left hamstring, was put on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Sunday.

Replacing Valdes on the roster will be outfielder Eric Anthony, whose contract was purchased from triple-A Albuquerque.

Replacing Valdes in the rotation will be another matter. The Dodger pitching staff, once thick with talent, was already thinner with the loss of Ramon Martinez, who went on the disabled list last month because of a small tear in the rotator cuff on his throwing shoulder.

“It isn’t easy to lose two starters,” Manager Bill Russell said. “We’ll just have to make it up somewhere, or score a lot of runs.”

The Dodgers were fortunate to have veteran Tom Candiotti around to fill in as a starter when Martinez went down.

Filling in for Valdes, who could be ready to return July 21, won’t be so automatic.

If a member of the current staff is moved into the starting rotation, it is expected to be either Mark Guthrie or Darren Dreifort.

If the Dodger should dip into the minors, the pitcher most likely to be tabbed is left-hander Dennis Reyes, who is 3-1 with a 3.68 earned-run average at Albuquerque.

Going back to a four-man rotation is not an option, according to Russell.

Whatever they do, the Dodger will have to do it fast. Candiotti, originally set to start Sunday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants, has been moved up to Saturday. Pedro Astacio, who was penciled in for Saturday, probably will start Monday’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies in Denver.

That means the new starter will go Sunday.

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Good News And Bad: When Valdes injured his hamstring Saturday against the San Diego Padres, trying to avoid a double play on a grounder, he couldn’t walk without limping.

The good news is that Valdes now walks with ease and without a limp.

The bad news is that Valdes tried to jog Thursday, but had to immediately stop because of pain.

“This is the first time I have strained my hamstring,” he said, “so all kinds of thoughts went through my mind. But now, I do not think it is serious.”

Therapist Pat Screnar agrees, saying that Valdes’ injury “does not appear to be that severe.”

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More Good News: Martinez, who was first injured June 14, threw for 12 minutes Thursday on flat ground, and plans to throw again Saturday, perhaps some from the mound.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TONIGHT’S GAME

DODGERS’ HIDEO NOMO (8-7, 3.81 ERA) vs. GIANTS’ KEITH FOULKE (1-2, 6.37 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 7 p.m.

TV--Channel 5. Radio--KABC (790), KWKW (1330).

* Update: Nomo may be only one game above .500, but his strikeout numbers continue to rank among the league’s best. He is fourth in the league with 131 strikeouts and has struck out seven or more in seven of his last 11 starts. Nomo has not faced the Giants this season, but he is 3-2 lifetime against them with a 2.30 ERA. This is Foulke’s second start against the Dodgers. The first one ended in defeat, the Dodgers beating him, 5-1, at Dodger Stadium on June 4. This is the eighth time since the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958 that they have been in first place at the All-Star break. Many still think of Dusty Baker as a Dodger outfielder, but he is about to achieve the distinction of having managed the Giants longer than all but one man since the club moved west. Baker has managed 671 games, behind only Charlie Fox (675) and Roger Craig (1,152).