April 5 pregame: Dodgers seek a softer landing today

By Jon Weisman

Dodger pitchers on rehab assignments are taking several innings at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga this weekend.

Josh Beckett allowed three first-inning runs, then pitched three shutout innings on Friday. Brian Wilson is expected to throw an inning tonight, and Chad Billingsley plans to take a big step with his first rehab outing Sunday.

“I feel good, I’m progressing well and hopefully it stays that way,” Billingsley told Ken Gurnick of MLB.com on Friday. “Getting close. Right now I’m progressing with each start. I’m using this as a Spring Training, fine-tuning mechanics and working on my pitches. When I feel ready and they feel I’m ready, I’ll be back. Guys have this surgery all the time. Nothing new.”

In his outing, Beckett landed funny on his ankle while fielding a bunt in his last inning of work, and manager Don Mattingly said it was a little sore today but not major. The Dodgers have yet to set an activation date for the righthander.

As for today’s lineup, it will feature an all-righty outfield against San Francisco lefty Madison Bumgarner, with Andre Ethier in reserve for the first time this season and Carl Crawford for the first time in the U.S. Scott Van Slyke will get his first start since the season-opener in Australia, where he doubled and homered.

“This guy’s tough on lefties,” Mattingly said, conceding that Bumgarner, who had a 2.77 ERA last year, is tough on everyone. (Opposing lefties OPSed .487 against him in 2013, opposing righties .602.) “Scotty hasn’t played in a while. We’ve got to keep him in the mix.”

Mattingly said he talked to Ethier and Crawford but that he doesn’t expect to have to explain every day to whoever’s sitting why they’re sitting. He remains unflustered by the juggling of the outfield.

“We’re gonna get on a stretch when there’s no off days,” Mattingly said. “Someone’ll be nicked up; someone’ll need a breather. … I don’t think it’s gonna be complicated.”

Mattingly wrapped up his pregame chat by confirming that there was no issue with Yasiel Puig’s arrival time today.