Mota Might Be Just What They Need

The Dodgers spent much of the winter searching for a closer, not realizing that one of baseball’s best ninth-inning specialists, Eric Gagne, was right under their noses.

With the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaching, the Dodgers are in the market for another reliever, and while they’d prefer a left-hander, they would also consider a power right-hander who could be used in a setup role.

Could the answer, again, be right in their own bullpen?

When Guillermo Mota arrived in Vero Beach, Fla., after being acquired from Montreal in a spring-training trade for Matt Herges, he was a gangly, 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-hander with a 97-mph fastball and mechanics that would perplex many a pitching coach.

Less than four months later, Mota has emerged as one of the Dodgers’ most effective short relievers, with a 1-0 record and 2.45 earned-run average after two perfect innings Friday against Arizona.

After a quick spring-training overhaul under the supervision of pitching coach Jim Colborn and a two-week stint at triple-A Las Vegas in late April, Mota, 29, has shown enough in 21 appearances that he could join Paul Quantrill and Giovanni Carrara as someone Manager Jim Tracy turns to in critical late-game situations.

“Mota has done some things that would make me consider using him in some situations that I wouldn’t have entertained earlier in the season,” Tracy said. “You do consider the experience factor--he hasn’t been in a pennant race before--but I would not hesitate using him in the seventh or eighth innings because he’s given me every reason to think I can.”

The Dodgers envisioned Mota as a future closer or setup man, but with Carrara struggling somewhat, that future could come sooner than expected. Mota feels he’s up to the task.

“That’s what I’m looking for, to compete with those guys for a chance to pitch in those kinds of situations,” Mota said. “I want to show people I can do the job.”

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Darren Dreifort, who threw 62 pitches during a bullpen session Friday, will take his rehabilitation from elbow surgery to the next level Monday when he throws a simulated game. Dreifort will throw to hitters, without a protective screen in front of the mound, and will take a break or two to simulate game-like conditions. After a series of simulated games, Dreifort will begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment in hopes of returning some time in August.... The late Akihiro “Ike” Ikuhara, the 27-year club executive who played a prominent role in the Dodgers’ many international, amateur and professional baseball exchanges, was inducted into Japan’s Baseball Hall of Fame Friday during ceremonies at the Japanese All-Star game in Tokyo.

TODAY

DODGERS’

ANDY ASHBY

(7-6, 3.36 ERA)

vs.

DIAMONDBACKS’

BRIAN ANDERSON

(4-7, 5.09 ERA)

Dodger Stadium, 1 p.m.

TV--Channel 11. Radio--KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330).

Update--The Dodgers activated catcher Chad Kreuter from the 15-day disabled list before Friday night’s game and optioned David Ross back to triple-A Las Vegas. Ashby hasn’t pitched in 10 days--the right-hander gave up two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings in his last start, at Arizona on July 3. Anderson has won two starts in a row and is 4-2 in his last six appearances.

Tickets--(323) 224-1448.