Brazoban on DL; Kuo starts tonight

The Dodgers lost one pitcher Friday when they returned reliever Yhency Brazoban to the disabled list. But they added two others, calling up left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo and reliever Eric Hull from triple-A Las Vegas.

And they could be getting right-hander Jason Schmidt back soon, depending on how he does in a bullpen session today.

Brazoban, who pitched just five innings last season before needing Tommy John surgery in his right elbow, felt something pop in his shoulder on his 13th pitch Thursday. And though results of an MRI exam were still being analyzed Friday, Brazoban’s shoulder remains sore so the Dodgers chose to be conservative and placed the right-hander on the DL immediately.

“It’s obvious to us that this is going to be some time. It’s not something he was going to get through in a couple of days,” said trainer Stan Conte, who added that a preliminary reading of the MRI showed nothing more than inflammation. “A pop with pain is not something that indicates anything good is going on.”

Added Manager Grady Little: “It’s a tough loss.”

Hull, who was 2-2 with a 3.62 earned-run average in 20 games at Las Vegas, will take Brazoban’s place in the bullpen.

Kuo, meanwhile, was recalled as expected to start tonight’s game against the Pirates. The Dodgers have been without a fifth starter since Brett Tomko was demoted to the bullpen last week. Infielder Andy LaRoche, who hit .211 in 38 at-bats, was optioned back to Las Vegas to create a roster spot for Kuo.

How long Kuo stays could be determined by how Schmidt’s troubled shoulder weathers today’s workout. If he has no pain, the former All-Star could be back in the rotation as early as next week, but if he returns that quickly he probably would replace struggling left-hander Mark Hendrickson, who has lost his last three starts.

“We’re not ruling anything out,” Little said. “If he’s ready to pitch we want him back in there as quick as we can work to make that [happen].”

Schmidt, out since April 14 because of bursitis, threw 71 pitches in six shutout innings in his only minor league rehab start Wednesday.

“He’s ready to go,” Conte said. “Where, I don’t know. It’s going to be a committee decision.”

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The Pirates will hand out bobbleheads of first baseman Adam LaRoche to fans attending tonight’s game. And LaRoche’s brother, who got an early look at the statuettes Friday, said the Pirates’ version bears a much stronger resemblance to his kin than the three bobbleheads modeled after him in the minor leagues.

“This one is actually not too bad,” Andy LaRoche said. “It’s got the goatee and everything. I don’t know that the minor league ones looked like him at all.”

Andy’s demotion means he won’t be around for tonight’s promotion but the brothers did achieve one milestone Friday. When Andy pinch-hit in the sixth inning, it marked the first time the brothers had played in the same big-league game.

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The Dodgers don’t have a day off for another two weeks so Little plans to rest several regulars this weekend. First baseman Nomar Garciaparra was held out of the starting lineup Friday, partly because his replacement, Olmedo Saenz, was hitting .453 and slugging .906 lifetime against Pittsburgh. And Little said catcher Russell Martin, who has homered in three consecutive games, will be benched tonight.

Look for second baseman Jeff Kent to get a day off soon as well. Kent went 0 for 4 Friday and is one for 16 on the trip.

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kevin.baxter@latimes.com