Trainer Will Play It Safe With Beltre

Third baseman Adrian Beltre wants to return to the starting lineup, but the Dodgers haven’t cooperated.

Beltre tried to persuade Manager Jim Tracy in a closed-door meeting before Saturday’s game against Arizona, saying his right thigh injury had healed enough.

Beltre also spoke with team trainer Stan Johnston, who told the six-year veteran not to rush back. Beltre appeared grumpy during batting practice after learning he would begin his sixth consecutive game on the bench but accepted the decision.

“The way I feel about it, I think I can be out there now,” said Beltre, batting .315 and leading the team with 22 home runs and 56 runs batted in.

“I’ve always played in pain and I can do it again. I never want to be out of the lineup, but I understand what Stan is saying after the last time.”

Beltre looked pretty sound Saturday.

After entering the game as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning, he singled in the seventh and had an RBI double in the ninth.

Before the All-Star break, Beltre assured Johnston he was ready to play, but he returned too soon and suffered a setback. Johnston said proof was required this time.

“I want him to do some things to prove to me that he is fine, instead of taking his word for how he feels,” said Johnston, who has monitored Beltre’s running during batting practice.

“He feels that he’s fine today. I’d like to give him one more day.”

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As expected, the Dodgers put rookie starter Edwin Jackson on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right forearm.

The move, retroactive to July 9, opened a spot on the 25-man roster for the club to activate starter Odalis Perez from the disabled list. Wilson Alvarez is scheduled to take Jackson’s turn in the rotation Monday against Houston.

The Dodgers said they were not worried about Jackson because an MRI exam of the 20-year-old right-hander’s pitching elbow did not reveal structural damage.

“It’s something muscular when he applies pressure with his fingertips to throw,” General Manager Paul DePodesta said. “We’re going to be cautious.”

The MRI exam showed swelling around a muscle in Jackson’s forearm, Johnston said, and Jackson has taken anti-inflammatory medication.

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Kazuhisa Ishii is 7-1 with a 1.59 earned-run average in 11 starts against Arizona.

The left-hander is 4-0 with a 1.73 ERA this season after pitching six strong innings in Friday’s 6-2 victory.

“I’m just happy that they’re in the same league and the same division,” Ishii said through an interpreter. “It helps my confidence when I’m in a close game and I pitch well.

“And I also like Arizona because they have a lot of golf courses here.”