Schmidt will make start on Tuesday

A 58-pitch bullpen session Saturday was all it took to convince the Dodgers that Jason Schmidt’s inflamed shoulder has healed, with Manager Grady Little saying the right-hander would be activated from the disabled list in time to start Tuesday at San Diego.

“We feel like he’s [ready],” Little said. “The ball’s coming out good. He’s ready, and we’re certainly ready to see him back out there.”

Schmidt, who signed a $47-million free-agent contract with the Dodgers in December, made three starts -- losing two and posting a 7.36 earned-run average -- before going on the DL because of shoulder bursitis April 17. Last week he threw six shutout innings in a pain-free rehabilitation start for Class-A San Bernardino, and the Dodgers briefly considered sending Schmidt out for a second minor league start. But his 20-minute session in the bullpen Saturday apparently showed Little that wasn’t necessary.

“If he’s feeling good and ready to go, we feel confident we can put him out there for 90 pitches or so on Tuesday,” Little said. “We’ve got to get him back into the games and let him get back into the flow of things. He looks like he’s going to do fine.”

Schmidt’s return means struggling left-hander Mark Hendrickson will be sent to the bullpen, where he opened the season. When Schmidt went down, Hendrickson was promoted to the rotation and won two of his first three starts. But he hasn’t won in more than a month, giving up at least five runs in four of his last five outings.

Hendrickson’s return to the bullpen means the Dodgers probably will return rookie reliever Eric Hull to the minors after Monday’s game to clear a roster spot for Schmidt.

Little said Schmidt would be limited to about 90 pitches in his first outing but the Dodgers won’t put any other limitations on him as long as his shoulder holds up.

“I feel good. I’m ready,” Schmidt said. “Just tell me where and when. Whatever they want me to do.”

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With top prospect Andy LaRoche expected to rejoin the Dodgers’ triple-A team today after a short trial in the majors, Little appears ready to hand rookie Tony Abreu the everyday job at third base.

Abreu’s start Saturday was his seventh in 10 games since he was called up. He doubled twice and beat out an infield single to drive in the Dodgers’ only run and raise his average to .367. The Dodgers have won five of the six games the switch-hitter has started at third.

“He’s going a good job,” Little said of the 22-year-old Dominican, who has also played at second and short for the Dodgers. “We feel like right now he can help us win games. And he does things to help us do that -- offensively, defensively, [and] he runs the bases well.”

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Utility player Marlon Anderson, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow in April, took batting practice and played catch for 12 minutes Saturday, throwing from a distance of more than 150 feet. Anderson still needs to build arm strength, a Dodgers official said, but he could be ready for a minor league rehab assignment this month.

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Luis Gonzalez, who made a spectacular run-saving catch against the bullpen fence in the fifth, was hitless in four trips, ending his 10-game hitting streak. Jeff Kent also was hitless in four at-bats -- for the fourth consecutive game -- and has one hit in his last 26 at-bats, dropping his average to .262, the lowest it has been since April 16.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com