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Dodgers put Casey Blake on disabled list, activate Rafael Furcal

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The Dodgers put veteran third baseman Casey Blake on the disabled list for the third time this season, this time because of a sore neck, and activated shortstop Rafael Furcal.

‘He’d been battling this thing,’ Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said of Blake, 37, before the team’s game Sunday against the Angels at Angel Stadium.

It still isn’t clear whether it’s a pinched nerve, arthritis or some other problem that’s causing Blake’s pain, but putting him on the DL should ‘give him the time to try to get it right,’ Mattingly said.

Blake was on the DL earlier this season because of back problems, then had surgery for a staph infection on his left elbow.

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Furcal had been expected to be activated Sunday, and there was speculation that rookie shortstop Dee Gordon would be sent back to the minor leagues to make room for Furcal.

Now, Gordon is still on the team but it’s unclear how much playing time he will get if the Dodgers don’t make another roster move.

‘I haven’t thought about it too much because things kind of changed’ with Blake, ‘but we don’t want [Gordon] to be here and not play,’ Mattingly said. ‘If Dee’s here, he’s got to play.’

Here are the starting lineups for Sunday’s game:

Dodgers:
Gwynn CF
Furcal SS
Ethier RF
Kemp DH
Loney 1B
Miles 3B
Oeltjen LF
Ellis C
Carroll 2B
Billingsley P

Angels:
Izturis 2B
Aybar SS
Abreu RF
Wells LF
Kendrick 1B
Callaspo 3B
Branyan DH
Conger C
Bourjos CF
Santana P

ALSO:

Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw tapped for All-Star Game

Jered Weaver and Angels cruise past Clayton Kershaw and Dodgers, 7-1

-- Jim Peltz

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