Beltre Trying to Get Up to Speed

Adrian Beltre has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 29 because of a strained right hamstring, but he hopes to be activated in time for Monday’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Beltre has been taking batting practice and running sprints at about half-speed, but Manager Davey Johnson wants to see Beltre run the bases at full speed before making a call on activating the third baseman.

“I don’t feel 100% right now, but I hope to be there [when the 15 days are up],” Beltre said. “I want to heal, but at the same time I don’t want to rush it and hurt it again.”

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Orel Hershiser’s self-imposed minor league stint will continue, for at least one more day. Hershiser will make his third start for Class-A San Bernardino tonight as the Stampede faces the Mudville Nine of Stockton, an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Hershiser will be pitching on three days’ rest and Johnson wants to see how the 41-year-old right-hander responds to a shorter turnaround.

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Reliever Gregg Olson, who was moved from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list on May 19 because of a right forearm strain, threw a 30-pitch bullpen workout Thursday.

“It was better than it has been, but it’s still not as good as I’d like,” he said.

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Ben Diggins, the Dodgers’ first-round draft pick (No. 17 overall) from Arizona, was at Dodger Stadium on Thursday and was in awe of his surroundings.

“It’s just overwhelming,” said Diggins, a 6-foot-7 right-hander who went 10-4 with 127 strikeouts and a 3.83 earned-run average in 17 games for the Wildcats this spring. “To be able to be down on the field and meet the players and with all of the Dodgers’ tradition, it’s just amazing.”

Diggins, who said he grew up a fan of the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics, has not signed with the Dodgers, who have signed 11 of the 50 players taken in this year’s draft.

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The Dodgers received Kenny Lutz, a right-handed pitcher, from Cincinnati on Thursday to finalize the April 1 trade that sent infielder Juan Castro to the Reds.

Lutz, 18, was 0-4 with a 6.50 ERA in 12 games last year for the Gulf Coast League Reds.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Oakland Athletics, three games.

* Site--Dodger Stadium.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Channel 5 tonight and Saturday, Fox Sports Net 2 Sunday.

* Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

* Records--Dodgers 32-25, Athletics 32-27.

* Record vs. Athletics (1999)--0-3.

TONIGHT

DODGERS’ CARLOS PEREZ

(4-2, 5.61 ERA)

vs.

ATHLETICS’ TIM HUDSON

(6-2, 4.70 ERA)

* Update--Perez will face a team that shelled him last season. The Athletics lit him up for eight runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings. Hudson, meanwhile, won his first major league game in his second career start against the Dodgers last year en route to an 11-2 rookie campaign.

* Saturday, 7 p.m.--Kevin Brown (4-2, 2.45 ERA) vs. Omar Olivares (3-7, 6.28 ERA).

* Sunday, 1 p.m.--Eric Gagne (1-3, 3.77 ERA) vs. Kevin Appier (5-3, 4.21 ERA).

* Tickets--(323) 224-1448.