April 21 pregame: Dodgers option Figgins, call up Dominguez

Long toss with @ClaytonKersh22: https://t.co/VSBX0yN4IU

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 21, 2014

By Jon Weisman

To address the rather constant use of the bullpen during this stretch of 13 games in a row (not to mention 29 in 30 days), the Dodgers have recalled pitcher Jose Dominguez and optioned Chone Figgins to Albuquerque.

Don Mattingly called the use of the short bench “a temporary thing,” but said it has been something the Dodgers have been contemplating because as great as the starting pitching has been, the starters haven’t been pitching past the sixth inning very often. Extra-inning games in recent days haven’t helped.

“Every day, it seems like we’re walking a tightrope,” Mattingly said.

In case you’re wondering, Paco Rodriguez wasn’t eligible to be recalled because 10 days haven’t passed since he was optioned, and he’s not replacing a player on the disabled list. Figgins will use the opportunity to get some playing time in after registering only nine plate appearances and one putout since the 2014 season began 31 days ago.

“At the end of the day, I don’t think it’s going to be horrible for Figgy to go down and get 25-30 at-bats,” Mattingly said.

Meanwhile …

• Clayton Kershaw is scheduled for a bullpen session Tuesday.
• A.J. Ellis is, if anything, ahead of schedule in his rehab from knee surgery, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
• This is fun: Sharon Henry of the Register sketches out Vin Scully’s tools of the trade.
• Over the years, Zack Greinke has tinkered with his pitches to stay ahead of hitters, writes Dave Cameron for Fox Sports.
• Dodger Moments with Ross Porter, noted in our pre-Opening Day feature on the former Dodger announcer, has a website.
• Why is the MLB strikeout rate continuing to rise? Chris Moran looks into the issue at Beyond the Box Score.
• Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. notes the significance of Kenley Jansen striking out Paul Goldschmidt on a slider Saturday.
• SI.com has a lengthy excerpt of John Rosengren’s “The Fight of their Lives: How Juan Marichal and John Roseboro Turned Baseball’s Ugliest Brawl into a Story of Forgiveness and Redemption”
• Author W.P. Kinsella describes how “Shoeless Joe” became “Field of Dreams” at ESPN.com. Remember, the Dodgers are showing “Field of Dreams” at Dodger Stadium immediately after the game against the Rockies on Saturday.
• A different one of the names from my baseball book-reading youth, Zander Hollander, passed away at age 91.