For Now, Jackson Will Resume His Minor Role

Edwin Jackson returned to the site of his greatest major league moment Friday, if only to say goodbye to his Dodger teammates before being optioned back to triple-A Las Vegas.

Jackson dazzled in his major league debut last September at Bank One Ballpark, giving up four hits and one run during a 4-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 20-year-old right-hander said he felt more composed during that performance than he did Wednesday, when he pitched five decent innings in his season debut during a 5-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

“This time, I was aware of what was going on,” Jackson said. “There was a little anxiety, a little nervousness. Last time, I was coming up and I didn’t know what to expect and I just went out and pitched.”

Jackson, who made his first 10 starts of the season in the minor leagues, said he did not assume he would start the season with the Dodgers even after Manager Jim Tracy had anointed him the fifth starter during spring training.

“I went through spring training not knowing if I was going to get on the team,” Jackson said.

Tracy said Jackson, who is expected to pitch Monday or Tuesday for the 51s, needed to work on his command and the development of his changeup upon his return to the minor leagues.

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When reserve outfielder Jayson Werth strained an abdominal muscle during batting practice April 7, he figured he’d be out two or three days.

“I didn’t realize it was going to be two or three months,” said Werth, who was activated and started in left field against Arizona on Friday after a lengthy rehabilitation assignment. “It was just a bad spot to injure and one of those things that you have to wait until it’s completely healed to even think about doing anything else.”

Werth, who struck out in his only at-bat with the Dodgers before Friday, suffered two indignities upon his return, when his first name was misspelled on the placard above his locker and on the scoreboard.

“We’ll work on that,” he said. “You can’t expect everything on the first day.”

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Tracy, who served his one-game suspension Friday, three days after his run-in with umpire Joe West, called Milton Bradley’s four-game suspension “a bit excessive” and agreed with the center fielder’s decision to appeal the ruling that followed his on-field tirade Tuesday.

Bradley was in the lineup Friday and will not have to sit out any games until his appeal is heard at a date to be determined by Major League Baseball.

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Tracy confirmed that Hideo Nomo would start Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays after making a successful rehabilitation start with Las Vegas on Thursday. Tracy said Jose Lima, who hasn’t given up an earned run in 20 2/3 innings, was the leading candidate to start June 12 against the Boston Red Sox, the next time the Dodgers need a fifth starter.... Wilson Alvarez, who threw a bullpen session Friday, could return from his strained left hip as soon as Sunday, Tracy said.... Todd Hundley, who continues to rehabilitate his hip and back while living at home in Maricopa, Ariz., stopped by the Dodger clubhouse and said he was “pretty certain” he would play this season, though there is no timetable for his return. The reserve catcher has had two back surgeries and a hip surgery in the past year.... The Dodgers outrighted pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo to Class-A Columbus and pitcher Rodney Myers to Las Vegas.