‘Best case’ for Saito is 2-3 days

It’s unlikely that closer Takashi Saito will be available during the Dodgers’ three-game series in San Diego, which begins tonight. But neither the team nor Saito was sure of much more than that a day after the record-setting reliever took himself out of Sunday’s game because of a tight left hamstring.

“I’m not too clear as to when a concrete timetable will be set to get me back on the mound,” Saito said through an interpreter. “It bothers me when I try to finish off a pitch, especially twisting. With an injury like this sometimes you feel good, then the next day you don’t feel good.”

Saito, who tweaked his hamstring warming up in the bullpen Sunday, said that he felt better a day later, and that the injury doesn’t bother him walking or performing other normal tasks. He wore an icepack on his hamstring Monday.

Trainer Stan Conte said the Dodgers would have Saito try some light throwing today, but neither an MRI exam nor a trip to the disabled list was being contemplated.

“It will probably be two or three days before we can expect to see him. In the best case,” Dodgers Manager Grady Little said. “He’s got to be able to come off of an incline and make pitches. When he gets back to that point, we’ll put him back out there.”

In Saito’s absence, hard-throwing Jonathan Broxton will be the closer.

“We’re not the least bit hesitant to call Broxton our closer,” said Little, who then watched Broxton survive a shaky ninth to earn the save Monday. “And he’ll be treated as such.”

The Dodgers expect to know more about two other injured relievers -- Yhency Brazoban, who went on the DL because of a sore shoulder last week, and Chin-hui Tsao, out since May 23 because of a shoulder strain -- after they’re seen by team doctors this week.

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Tony Abreu was expected to spend the summer learning to play second base at triple-A Las Vegas. But with the Dodgers facing a crisis at third, the 22-year-old Dominican was rushed to the majors to play an unfamiliar position and he’s making the most of the chance, batting .342 a dozen games into his big-league career.

“Getting here and staying here are different things,” said Abreu, who had seven hits in 12 at-bats before going hitless Monday, ending a modest four-game hitting streak. “I’ve dedicated myself to this. Now I have to dedicate myself to staying here.”

Abreu, who replaced fellow rookie Andy LaRoche and fellow Dominican Wilson Betemit in the starting lineup, has helped the Dodgers go 9-3 since his call-up. But he’s done that mostly with his hitting; his fielding at his new position remains shaky. His two fifth-inning throwing errors Monday gave him four errors in 12 games.

“With the pitchers here in the big leagues, you have to stay prepared. You have to be aware of how you’re being pitched. It’s something totally different,” the switch-hitter said. “If they want me to play third, well then, I’ll play third. I can’t say no or I’m not going to play. I’m going to play wherever they want me to play.”

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Dodgers catcher Russell Martin jumped to third in the latest tabulation of fan voting for the starting lineup for the National League All-Star team.

Martin, who homered Monday, entered the game leading major league catchers in runs (36), walks (23) and steals (eight), and NL catchers in hits (58) and on-base percentage (.384). But he has won the support of only 353,212 fans, about 94,000 fewer than have voted for the Mets’ Paul Lo Duca.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com