James Loney could pitch for Dodgers on Sunday -- seriously

While most of his teammates were in the clubhouse on Sunday morning, James Loney ran onto the grass at Coors Field and started playing long toss. Soon he was in the bullpen, throwing off the mound.

Loney is starting at first base and batting sixth against the Colorado Rockies, but Manager Don Mattingly said he told Loney that he could be called on to pitch in an emergency.

“Let’s hope we don’t see it today,” Mattingly said.

The Dodgers used all of their pitchers in a 7-6, 13-inning loss to the Rockies on Saturday night.

Hiroki Kuroda, who started on Friday, skipped his regularly scheduled bullpen session and volunteered to pitch an inning in relief. Utilityman Eugenio Velez, who is batting .000, is also under consideration to pitch.

“I’m on deck, I’m on deck,” Loney told his teammates in the clubhouse.