Jackson Is Under Scrutiny

General Manager Paul DePodesta remains reluctant to include rookie starter Edwin Jackson in a potential trade for a veteran starter, but some clubs are internally expressing concerns about Jackson’s pitching elbow, baseball sources said Saturday.

A recent MRI exam of the 20-year-old right-hander’s elbow revealed no structural damage, the Dodgers said, and Jackson pitched five innings in Thursday’s 7-2 victory over Houston.

However, scouts said Jackson’s fastball, clocked consistently at 95 mph earlier this season, topped out at only 92 mph against Houston.

Jackson on Saturday reiterated that his “elbow feels fine, and whatever it was really isn’t there now.” He said he still could not describe the feeling he experienced when he suffered a strained elbow in the Dodgers’ 8-5 victory over the Angels on July 3.

Manager Jim Tracy said Jackson did not inform the team of any problems with his elbow after the start against Houston.

The Dodgers have told teams they want to monitor Jackson, the club’s 2002 minor league pitcher of the year, for another three starts before deciding on whether to include him in a trade.

The fifth starter is scheduled to pitch again, on 10 days’ rest, July 19 at Houston. Jackson’s third scheduled start after the All-Star break would occur two days before the July 31 trading deadline.

Two National League general managers said they doubted DePodesta would trade Jackson because Odalis Perez, Hideo Nomo and Jose Lima can become free agents at the end of the season, possibly opening holes in the 2005 rotation.

Many in the Dodger organization believe the team needs another proven starter, as well as a run producer, to outlast San Francisco and San Diego in a three-team race in the NL West.

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Wilson Alvarez will return to the bullpen after the All-Star break if Perez is activated from the disabled list as expected, Tracy said.

Encouraged by Perez’s pain-free bullpen session Friday, Tracy and pitching coach Jim Colborn have tentatively inserted Perez into the post-break rotation.

Jeff Weaver is scheduled to open the second half Thursday against the Diamondbacks in a four-game series at Bank One Ballpark. Kazuhisa Ishii, Perez and Lima would follow him.

Perez said he has recovered from inflammation on his left rotator cuff. The left-hander plans to throw in his native Dominican Republic during the All-Star break and is scheduled to have another bullpen session Thursday.

“I’ve been improving a lot since I got injured,” said Perez, who leads Dodger starters with a 2.96 earned-run average. “I would say everything is going to look fine for the second half.”

Although Alvarez pitched six-plus strong innings in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Houston and has been effective as a spot starter, Tracy said he does not want to rejoin the rotation on a full-time basis.

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Reliever Paul Shuey, who underwent hip surgery in the off-season, plans to meet with the physician who performed the procedure, Tracy said.

Hip pain recently forced Shuey to end a minor league rehabilitation program. The right-hander, who has not pitched for the Dodgers this season, is scheduled to meet with Dr. Marc Philipon in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., during the All-Star break and rejoin the team in Houston.

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The Dodgers have hired Greg McElroy, who was instrumental in selling the naming rights to two Texas sports facilities in the last five years, as chief sales officer.

Co-owner Frank McCourt, who has said he would consider selling naming rights to Dodger Stadium, said he hired McElroy to focus on building relationships within the Los Angeles corporate community, with the goal of selling sponsorships and renting luxury suites. McCourt said he has not directed McElroy to sell naming rights to the stadium.

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Times staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this report.