Shane Victorino endorses trade for Joe Blanton

The Dodgers acquired a starting pitcher from the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, but it wasn’t Cliff Lee.

The trade they made was for Joe Blanton, the other Phillies pitcher they claimed on waivers. The Dodgers will send the Phillies a player to be named later.

Blanton, 31, figures to take the rotation spot of rookie Stephen Fife, who has made three career starts.

Manager Don Mattingly said he is unsure of when Blanton will pitch his first game for the Dodgers. Until he was traded, Blanton was scheduled to pitch for the Phillies on Friday.

Blanton has been serviceable but unspectacular this season, posting an 8-9 record and 4.59 earned-run average. His 22 home runs allowed are tied for most in the National League.

Over his last three starts, however, Blanton has a 2.74 ERA and averaged 7 2/3 innings.

Shane Victorino, whom the Dodgers acquired from the Phillies on Tuesday, blamed Blanton’s record on a shortage of run support.

The Phillies acquired Blanton from the Oakland Athletics in the middle of the 2008 season. The Phillies won the World Series that year.

“He shored up that starting rotation for us,” Victorino said. “He’s capable of being that guy that’s going to help you get into the postseason and continue to pitch well into the postseason.”

The Dodgers were looking to add a starting pitcher, as they were forced to start Fife after trading Nathan Eovaldi to the Miami Marlins to acquire Hanley Ramirez. Ted Lilly recently suffered a setback in his recovery from shoulder injury.

On the eve of the nonwaiver trade deadline, the Dodgers explored a package deal to get both Victorino and Blanton.

“We couldn’t get the combination,” General Manager Ned Colletti said.

The Dodgers placed claims on both Blanton and Lee, who were placed on trade waivers Wednesday. They were awarded claims on both pitchers, allowing them to negotiate trades for them.

The Dodgers will be responsible for the remaining $3 million or so that remains of Blanton’s $8.5-million salary. Blanton will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season.

Lilly frustrated

Feeling discomfort in his throwing shoulder, Lilly scrapped his scheduled start with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday.

The start would have been the second of Lilly’s minor league rehabilitation assignment. The setback factored in the Dodgers’ pursuit of Blanton.

Lilly, who has been sidelined for more than two months, acknowledged feeling discouraged.

Asked whether he has considered the possibility that he might not pitch this season, Lilly replied, “I’m going to try and not let myself think that way.”

With Lilly running out of time to build arm strength and the Dodgers adding Blanton to the rotation, Lilly said he would pitch out of the bullpen if the Dodgers ask him to.

Ramirez back to shortstop

Ramirez started his first game at shortstop for the Dodgers, moving over from third base.

Ramirez played shortstop his entire career until this year, when he switched to third base to accommodate free-agent addition Jose Reyes on the Miami Marlins.

Mattingly said that with Ramirez at shortstop, the Dodgers would have more lineup flexibility because they have more options at third than they do at shortstop. Luis Cruz, who has started 23 games at shortstop in place of the sidelined Dee Gordon, started at third base Friday. Other potential starters at third include Jerry Hairston Jr. and Juan Uribe.

dylan.hernandez@latimes.com