Dodgers deal pitcher John Ely, receive Rob Rasmussen

The Dodgers traded John Ely on Wednesday to the Houston Astros for minor league pitcher Rob Rasmussen.

Ely debuted in 2010, and after his first seven starts he was 3-2 with a 2.54 earned-run average. He finished the season 4-10 with a 5.49 ERA and went back to Albuquerque, where he fared no better (5-4, 6.22). He made one Dodgers start in 2011 and a pair of relief appearances last season.

Rasmussen, 23, was almost a Dodger previously. He was drafted in the 27th round out of Pasadena Poly in 2007, but instead went to UCLA.

The Marlins then drafted him in the second round in 2010 and he was one of two minor leaguers traded to the Astros last July for Carlos Lee.

Rasmussen, 23, is a 5-foot-9 left-hander who was 8-11 with a 4.25 ERA in two minor league stops last season as a starter, though his future could be in the bullpen. In three minor league seasons he is 20-21 with a 3.88 ERA.

Trading Ely leaves the Dodgers with 39 players on their 40-man roster.

Ronald Belisario, winter league team part ways

Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario’s winter league team in Venezuela said Belisario would not play for the rest of the season because of disciplinary reasons.

The Ultimas Noticias newspaper said Belisario, 29, had asked for and been granted permission to leave the Margarita team for personal reasons, but when he did not return as scheduled he was removed from the roster.

Belisario maintains he did return as scheduled.

Belisario went 8-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 68 games last season.

Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said Belisario would miss only Margarita’s final eight games.