Dodgers put Jerry Hairston Jr. on 15-day DL, call up Elian Herrera

So it’s come to this, the Dodgers struggling mightily and they reach into the farm system to pull out Elian Herrera.

Doesn’t exactly sound like the sound of the cavalry arriving on the hill top, but such is the Dodgers’ plight.

They officially placed Jerry Hairston Jr. on the 15-day disabled list with a strained groin, bypassed the hot-hitting Scott Van Slyke and called up Herrera from triple-A Albuquerque.

The Dodgers have to be hoping for the Herrera they called up last year who hit .305 in his first 31 games, and not the utility player who hit .141 in his next 20 games and was jettisoned back to Albuquerque.

He had not done much in Albuquerque to justify new faith this season, batting .250 in 27 games, with an on-base percentage of .310. The 28-year-old was listed as a second baseman for the Isotopes.

But he can play the outfield and infield, has some speed and at least a little experience. Right now, the Dodgers take what they can get. It’s their 13th move on the disabled list in their first 31 games of the season.

Manager Don Mattingly said the team wanted to replace Hairston with someone who could play the corner outfield spots, Skip Schumaker being the only backup outfielder.

So it’s the weak-hitting Herrera. The Dodgers had already called up shortstop Dee Gordon from Albuquerque and Tuesday Mattingly moved him from the eighth spot in the lineup to second.