Weaver to replace McDonald

Jeff Weaver was tapped to be the Dodgers’ starting pitcher Tuesday in place of struggling rookie James McDonald, who will return to the bullpen, Manager Joe Torre said Saturday.

The switch was made after McDonald, 24, lasted only 1 2/3 innings Thursday night against the San Diego Padres, although the Dodgers won, 8-5.

In that game and others as the Dodgers’ fifth starter, the right-handed McDonald struggled to consistently throw strikes.

“J. Mac just looked so uncomfortable the other day,” Torre said. “In all fairness to the young man, we pretty much had him earmarked to be in our bullpen from the start” of the season.

“He was sort of forced into the starting role because we really didn’t have anybody else.”

And Torre said that the veteran Weaver, 32, who was called up from the minors four days ago, was in the rotation only “this time around.”

“We’re doing this on the go right now,” Torre said. “I don’t think we have any long-range plans other than to try to piece it together until we find that guy” to be the permanent fifth starter.

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Kuo’s struggle

Beset with continuing elbow problems, relief pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo went on the 15-day disabled list and was replaced by Brent Leach, another left-hander who was called up from double-A Chattanooga.

Kuo, 27, who has had four operations on his left elbow, struggled in a bullpen session Friday night when several of his throws went beyond the reach of the catcher.

“This is just something that’s just never gone away,” Torre said of Kuo’s arm problems. “There’s never been a day where he hasn’t hurt to some degree.”

Torre said it was fair to say Kuo’s disabled status was indefinite, and “we don’t know exactly when he’s going to pick a ball up [again]. “It’s a shame, it really is.”

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Getting on

Despite batting a mediocre .250 before Saturday’s game, Dodgers leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal has reached base safely at least once in each of his 22 games, helping to spark or maintain several rallies.

“It feels good, especially the way we’re playing right now,” said Furcal, 31, who sat out 125 games last year because of a back injury.

The Dodgers’ shortstop said it’s crucial that he reach base often, not only because he’s the leadoff hitter but because Orlando Hudson, Manny Ramirez and Andre Ethier are coming to bat behind him.

“That’s what I try to do, get on base as much as I can with the hitters we’ve got behind me,” Furcal said. “It helps the team to win.”

Furcal also reached base safely in 30 consecutive games to start the 2008 season before his back problems surfaced.

This year, he said “I can do better” at the plate -- Furcal has only five extra-base hits this season -- but will try to “get on base with a bunt, walk, error or whatever.”

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Manny’s neighborhood

Ramirez said the new Yankee Stadium, erected next to the old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, was built on a former track and field site where he played as a teenager.

“I used to run there when I was about 14,” he said. “It also had a little [baseball] field, and I used to go over there and practice.

“I had a bunch of friends and . . . we used to run and go hit after that,” he said. “It’s weird now when I look at the new stadium and think, ‘Wow, I used to run there.’ ”

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james.peltz@latimes.com