Disabled List a Possibility for Gagne

Eric Gagne experienced elbow stiffness playing catch Friday, making it unlikely he would pitch in the next few days and increasing the possibility he would be put on the disabled list.

Gagne says the anti-inflammatory medication he is on takes five days to have an effect. Today is the fourth day since he began taking it. He did not interpret the stiffness as a setback, saying he was encouraged because the pain had decreased significantly since he last pitched Tuesday.

“It’s a lot less,” he said. “It’s better but not to the point where I can pitch. When I throw, it inflames more. I just have to wait.”

Gagne’s elbow hurt during his appearance Tuesday, when he notched his first save in a year. The injury was diagnosed as an irritated ulnar nerve. He has made two appearances since he spent the first two months of the season on the disabled list recovering from surgery to remove a different nerve from the elbow.

“There is a lot of concern on his face, and for us too,” Manager Grady Little said. “We want him to get through it and we want him to be honest with us. We don’t want him to do anything to make it worse.”

The Dodgers have several options at triple-A Las Vegas if Gagne goes on the disabled list.

Veteran right-handed reliever Giovanni Carrara has given up two runs in 14 1/3 innings since he was signed and left-hander Greg Miller has pitched 8 2/3 scoreless innings since being promoted from double A.

Left-hander Kelly Wunsch, an effective situational reliever last season, has given up one run in five appearances since coming off the disabled list. Three other relievers who have spent time with the Dodgers this season -- Lance Carter, Franquelis Osoria and Tim Hamulack -- also are in Las Vegas.

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Because of off days, the Dodgers won’t need a No. 5 starter until next weekend in Oakland at the earliest. Little backed off his earlier assertion that erratic Odalis Perez would make a start the next time he is needed, saying, “That’s a long way off.”

Asked if the situation could change in the interim, Little said, “It certainly can.”

The next time the No. 5 spot comes up would probably be a week from today. Aaron Sele, Brad Penny and Brett Tomko are scheduled to start against the San Diego Padres in a series beginning Tuesday and Derek Lowe’s normal day to start would be Friday.

Options besides Perez would be the inconsistent Jae Seo or promoting a starter from Las Vegas, either top prospect Chad Billingsley or right-hander D.J. Houlton.

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Second baseman Jeff Kent told Little on Wednesday that his hand had healed enough for him to play. Barring a setback, he’ll be activated Tuesday.... Catcher Dioner Navarro played his first minor league rehabilitation game for Las Vegas and went 0 for 2.