Injury Forces Ishii to Delay Next Start

Wilson Alvarez will take Kazuhisa Ishii’s turn in the rotation tonight against the Chicago Cubs after Ishii experienced chest soreness over the weekend in Pittsburgh.

Ishii first felt the soreness Saturday, two days after registering his fifth victory of the season during the Dodgers’ 9-4 victory over the Florida Marlins, and underwent an examination Sunday. Ishii was put on anti-inflammatory medication and exhibited no symptoms Tuesday when he reported to Dodger Stadium.

He is expected to pitch Friday against the Cincinnati Reds.

“We don’t even know how it happened,” Dodger trainer Stan Johnston said. “He doesn’t remember any incident.”

Johnston said the type of soreness that Ishii suffered is typically caused by a collision.

“It’s usually experienced by someone who gets run over at the plate,” Johnston said. “It goes away usually as fast as it comes.”

Ishii experienced the same condition five years ago in Japan, Johnston said. Ishii will throw a bullpen session today to ensure he is capable of making his next start.

“We want Kazuhisa to feel totally comfortable from a mind-set standpoint that he’s going out there having done all the prep work that he does from one start to the next,” Manager Jim Tracy said.

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Tracy said the Dodgers might reflect on the lengthy recovery necessitated by Paul Shuey’s right thumb as “somewhat of a blessing in disguise” because it has allowed additional healing time for the reliever’s right hip.

The hip, which required off-season surgery, was still bothering Shuey coming out of spring training, Tracy said. There is no timetable for Shuey’s return, but an MRI exam performed about three weeks ago showed the damaged tendon in his thumb was healing.

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Tracy said Dave Roberts continued to progress from a strained right hamstring and did not anticipate that the left fielder would require a minor league rehabilitation assignment before rejoining the Dodgers. Roberts is eligible to come off the disabled list May 20.... Reserve outfielder Jayson Werth is scheduled to play today for the Dodgers in extended spring training. Werth experienced fatigue Sunday after swinging at about 30 pitches down and away that were designed to test his strained abdominal muscle.... Todd Hundley underwent surgery for cartilage damage in his left hip. The reserve catcher will begin to rehabilitate his hip in a couple of days while continuing to rehabilitate his back, which required surgery in November.