Dodgers place Padilla on DL; is there a closer in the house?

And for the Dodgers’ next closer …

Quick, somebody put a hand up.

That forearm soreness of Vicente Padilla’s became serious enough Thursday that the Dodgers put him on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 14 with radial nerve irritation.

To replace him, they called up Ramon Troncoso, again, from triple-A Albuquerque.

This is the same forearm Padilla had surgery on during spring training and forced him to miss the first three weeks of the season.

Shortly after he returned, however, closer Jonathan Broxton and Hong-Chih Kuo, the closer late last season, quickly went to the disabled list.

Padilla was elevated to closer, but threw 32 pitches Friday in his ninth appearance and his forearm became sore.

"It’s the same area, so it kind of relates to the same stuff,’’ Manager Don Mattingly said. ``He’s feeling a little better today, which is encouraging. But we’re on day six, and realistically we probably wouldn’t be able to use him again until day nine or 10, and then we’d have to give him a day off and we’re at day 12.

"It just makes sense for us to give him a chance to get healthy and try to deal with the long term."

Mattingly said there was no additional surgical procedure anticipated and was hopeful Padilla would be ready to join the team when he’s eligible to come off the DL on May 29.

"I don’t think it’s an injury, it’s like Stan (Conte, trainer) said, it’s more something that you would almost expect," Mattingly said. "There’s going to be some ups and downs with that arm."

While Padilla is out, Mattingly said he would use Matt Guerrier and Kenley Jansen as his main closers.

Troncoso was 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA at Albuquerque, which is ja tad better than his 20.25 ERA he posted in two games of his first call-up in April.

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-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Vicente Padilla. Credit: Steve Mitchell / U.S. Presswire

Comments

[HI Dodger Fan]

why troncoso? is ned just a mindless drone who goes to the familiar without any rhyme or reason at all? didn't ned see the disaster from the last time?

[16blows]

paDiLla... again.

[Arthur Marx]

"Why Troncoso?"

Because Clem Labine is dead, and the Yankees won't part with Mariano Rivera.

[Nor Cal True Blue]

Maybe Gagne is available?

[TonyOJay]

He's gross, all sweaty with his greasy hair. Oh and no shirt under his jersey. Dirty dirty looking dude.

[True blue dodger fan]

I like Tron. He obviously still has it haters!!!

[phillydodger]

why not give a young arm like Josh Lindbloom a shot. i know he is struggling a bit in AA, but what the heck.

[alanw19]

well if it ain't an injury, and you expected it ..... oh, never mind...

the more donnie speaks, the less credibility he secures.....

stan should have been given his outright release many moons ago.

[Labeldude]

Tronco had a 1-2-3 inning last night, now making him the front-runner for closer, though its an honorary title since this team will never have a lead to close.

[Terry]

Closer? I thought a team had to be leading for someone to "close". Ethier? Four home runs through the first 45 games? some power hitter there. Who was that first baseman last night, could not catch the ball...Castro? He hits more like Fidel Castro. There are a lot of people at the stadium dress like empty seats....