LOS ANGELES — Chad Billingsley, his right arm in a sling six days after Tommy John elbow reconstruction, said Tuesday he’s optimistic he’ll be healthy and on the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster in 2014.
“They say that’s very, very doable,” said Billingsley. “Cap [teammate Chris Capuano] did it in 11 months, some guys before that. You can’t do it too quick and have a setback, but it’s very doable.”
Billingsley tried to avoid surgery altogether. He originally suffered a partially torn ligament last August, but opted for several platelet-rich plasma injections instead of surgery. The cutting-edge treatment got him throwing 93 mph by November, felt “awesome” through Spring Training and Billingsley believed he was healed.
He opened the regular season on the disabled list because of a bruised right index finger, but said his elbow was fine until after his second start, when it “didn’t feel right.” He cut short a bullpen session in Baltimore, flew back to Los Angeles for an exam and got the bad news from surgeon Neal ElAttrache.
“Awe, crud,” was Billingsley’s response to the doctor, or something like that.
But he said he has no regrets over not having surgery immediately.
“I would do it again,” he said. “If I had surgery at the end of August, I’d still miss all this year. Or in the winter or spring, the first month, I’d still miss all year and still be ready at the beginning of 2014.”
Billingsley said the cast comes off next week and will be replaced by a brace. While speaking to reporters, he was watching fellow pitchers going through pregame fielding practice, probably the most tedious chore for a pitcher other than the one Billingsley will be doing for the next year.
“I would like to be out there doing that,” he said.
Kershaw placed on bereavement list after father’s death
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the bereavement list on Monday, and on Tuesday it was revealed it was because of the death of his father in Texas.
Kershaw is expected to return to California in time to fly with the Dodgers to San Francisco on Thursday.
Kershaw, coming off a 12-strikeout win over Milwaukee, is scheduled to start Friday night against the Giants.
The Dodgers will need to make a roster move to activate Kershaw and might disable infielder Mark Ellis, who strained his right quad Friday night.
Crawford scratched from lineup with tight hamstring
LOS ANGELES — Carl Crawford was scratched from Tuesday’s lineup after taking batting practice, the result of tightness in his right hamstring.
Jerry Hairston replaced Crawford at the top of the order and in left field for Tuesday’s game against the Rockies. Hairston was originally playing right field and hitting sixth, but shifted when Crawford was scratched.
Andre Ethier was inserted into the lineup, hitting sixth and playing right field.
Crawford is hitting .308 with four homers and six RBIs in 25 games. He went 1-for-3 in Monday’s loss to the Rockies. The outfielder went 5-for-14 with three homers in the first four games of the Dodgers’ current six-game homestand.
Hairston hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning on Monday, his first of the season. The utility man is hitting .184 in 15 games, including eight starts.
Dodgers recall Guerra, option Wall to Triple-A
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers recalled right-handed reliever Javy Guerra on Tuesday and optioned Josh Wall to Triple-A Albuquerque.
The move follows Monday night’s disastrous 12-2 loss to the Rockies, when Wall was abused for seven runs on eight hits and 62 pitches in two innings. Wall followed Ted Lilly, who left the game after three innings with neck and back pain and was having an MRI Tuesday.
Guerra was the team closer when last season started, but he lost that job, suffered three injuries and required surgeries to his right knee and shoulder.
He did not make the Major League team out of Spring Training and was sent to Albuquerque for a starting role, not to turn him into a starter but to extend him into a multiple-inning long reliever. In four starts for the Isotopes, he was 0-2 with a 4.02 ERA and last pitched Friday.
Wall, who was recalled from Albuquerque April 15 after Shawn Tolleson was injured, made six appearances and had an ERA of 18.00.
Guerra is the 17th pitcher the Dodgers have had in uniform this month.
Dodgers ink Laffey to Minor League deal
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers, who had too many starting pitchers a couple of weeks ago, are in such a bind that they reportedly signed free agent left-hander Aaron Laffey to a Minor League deal Tuesday.
Laffey made the Mets on a Minor League contract out of Spring Training, but struggled to a 7.20 ERA in 10 innings of work. He was designated for assignment, claimed off waivers by Toronto and walked five in a 2 2/3-inning start for the Blue Jays before they designated him for assignment. Being designated for assignment twice allowed Laffey to elect free agency.
He’s a seven-year Major League veteran with a 25-29 record and 4.45 ERA. He is expected to report to Triple-A Albuquerque.
The Dodgers currently have six pitchers on the disabled list — Chad Billingsley, Chris Capuano, Scott Elbert, Stephen Fife, Zack Greinke and Shawn Tolleson. Ted Lilly is likely to join them pending results of a Tuesday MRI on his neck.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. Austin Laymance is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.