Repko may not be ready to go

There’s a chance that outfielder Jason Repko, sidelined a week because of a strained right groin, will start the season on the disabled list, Dodgers Manager Grady Little said Friday.

“We don’t know. We don’t have a calendar on his getting ready to play,” Little said. “But we do know that speed is his game. Whether it’s running the bases or playing defense. So we won’t be pushing him and trying to rush the process along.

“Without this No. 1 tool being 100%, then he doesn’t mean as much to this team.”

Repko, who spent 10 weeks on the disabled list because of a sprained ankle last summer, hurt himself making a running catch in a split-squad game against the Florida Marlins last Saturday. He has resumed batting practice and is stretching but said he isn’t ready to start running yet.

“I want to play, but I want to be healthy,” he said. “So I’ll do whatever [the trainers] tell me.”

If Repko, who hit .254 in 130 at-bats last season, does start the year on the DL, that could help alleviate a logjam the Dodgers have in the outfield, where at least six players are competing for one roster spot.

Kuo hit hard

Hong-Chih Kuo’s shot at winning the fifth spot in the starting rotation took a hit when the left-hander gave up five runs in 2 1/3 innings before Friday’s game with the Boston Red Sox was called by rain with the Dodgers trailing, 5-1, in the third.

Kuo, who gave up long home runs to Wily Mo Pena, Jason Varitek and Eric Hinske, had trouble spotting his fastball, even walking Daisuke Matsuzaka despite the fact that Matsuzaka stood against the back line of the batter’s box and was under orders not to swing.

“That’s the first day he’s had any difficulty at all. So I think he was due,” Little said of Kuo, who had given up one run in six previous innings.

The Dodgers’ only run came in the first inning on a first-pitch double by Rafael Furcal and Marlon Anderson’s first hit of the spring, a flare to left.

Miller sent down

The Dodgers made one roster move Friday morning, optioning pitcher Greg Miller to minor league camp. Miller was 2-0 in Grapefruit League play despite giving up five runs and nine hits in eight innings. He also hit four batters and walked three.

“We like the way he pitched,” Little said. “He needs to start some games in the minor leagues, and to be ready to do that he needs to get more innings right now than we’re able to give him. A young man with a gifted arm like he has and the condition he’s in right now, he can learn more about pitching by starting games and working more innings.”

Around the horn

Before Friday’s downpour, starting pitcher Brad Penny and closer Takashi Saito pitched in a simulated game against minor leaguers on a back field. Penny, who was fine-tuning a split-finger pitch, went five innings and threw 72 pitches and Saito threw two innings and 32 pitches. ... Flags at Dodgertown were at half-staff and will remain there through Sunday in honor of former commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who died Thursday. Kuhn also was remembered with a moment of silence before the game.

kevin.baxter@latimes.com