Rich Hill appears set to rejoin Dodgers’ rotation on Sunday

Rich Hill hopes the one step back he took this month — going on the 10-day disabled list on April 7 because of a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand — will allow him to take nothing but steps forward for the rest of the season.

The Dodgers left-hander followed Thursday’s 35-pitch bullpen session by playing long-toss on Friday and declared himself fit enough, as did Manager Dave Roberts, to start Sunday against Arizona.

“Nobody wants this to become an issue whatsoever,” said Hill, who signed a three-year, $48-million deal to return to the Dodgers this season. “That’s why we took advantage of the 10-day DL early in the year, as opposed to trying to put a Band-Aid on it all season.”

Hill started the first game back after the All-Star break for Oakland last season but left before recording an out because a blister he tried to pitch through burst.

He did not pitch again for the Atheltics in July, and his Dodgers debut after an Aug. 1 trade to Los Angeles was delayed three times because of blisters. Hill finally pitched on Aug. 24 after a series of frustrating setbacks that persuaded him to take a different tack this season.

“I could have been stubborn and continued to pitch through it,” Hill said Friday. “I’m trying to avoid the scenario we had last year.”

Hill, 37, didn’t have a problem with blisters early in his career, but as he’s gotten older he said his hands and feet sweat more when he pitches. That, combined with the snap required to throw one of the game’s best curveballs, can create the friction that causes blisters.

Hill tries to keep his hands dry with rosin and a spray deodorant. Between innings, he’ll sometimes blow-dry his fingers with a fan.

“I don’t want to go on the DL,” Hill said. “I want to make every start. That’s the plan from here on out.”

Hill’s return to the rotation means left-hander Alex Wood, who allowed one earned run in 3 2/3 innings in his spot start Monday against the Chicago Cubs, will return to the bullpen.

“I think he understands the value of his role — he’ll still be relevant,” Roberts said of Wood. “We understand he wants to be a starter, but for right now, it’s best for him to be in the bullpen.”

Bullpen shakeup

Reliever Pedro Baez (right wrist bruise) was activated Friday and Josh Fields, who was impressive in allowing one hit and striking four in two scoreless innings of three appearances last week, was optioned to triple A.

“It’s an unfortunate situation where Fields is throwing the heck out of the ball,” Roberts said. “With his usage in the past week, it made sense to option him and give him two or three days to kind of reset.”

Roberts said he will not hesitate using Baez, the hard-throwing right-hander, in high-leverage situations.

“What I’ve heard from the guys who have put eyes on him,” Roberts said, “is that the velocity is there, the stuff is good, he can give us one-plus innings, and he can get right-handers and left-handers out.”

Short hop

Scott Kazmir (left-hip strain) threw a four-inning, 74-pitch bullpen session in Arizona, and his fastball was clocked between 84 and 88 mph. “I text messaged him today,” Roberts said, “and he was very encouraged.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

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