Alvarez Replaces Carlyle

Buddy Carlyle knew the numbers and agreed with the assessment.

“If I was the manager, I probably would do the same thing,” said Carlyle, the reliever with an 8.18 earned-run average who became odd man out Tuesday when the Dodgers activated Wilson Alvarez from the disabled list.

The Dodgers optioned Carlyle to triple-A Las Vegas, where he will join the starting rotation and work on pitch selection. The right-hander fell into a pattern of getting ahead of hitters, only to throw hittable pitches late in the count.

“Every now and then I get two strikes on guys and tend to be too aggressive and throw another strike instead of maybe trying to expand the zone a little bit with my off-speed stuff,” said Carlyle, who gave up three home runs and yielded a .279 batting average to opposing hitters. “That’s what I’m going to try to work on.

“The good thing is that I feel healthy and ... confident in how I’m throwing. I’m actually excited to go down and get to start and get some innings and work on a few details so that, hopefully, the next time I get up here, I don’t have to go back again.”

Manager Jim Tracy expressed confidence that Carlyle could become a valuable major league pitcher, but there may not be room for him in the near future, with relievers Eric Gagne and Elmer Dessens almost ready to return from the disabled list.

“I know that Buddy Carlyle is capable of pitching in the major leagues. I told him that,” Tracy said. “I’m anxious to see how he does, once he takes the advice given to him this afternoon.”

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Gagne threw about 50 pitches during batting practice and is scheduled to complete another session Friday in Cincinnati. Barring setbacks, he will then start a rehabilitation assignment of undetermined length.

Antonio Perez, recovering from a strained left hamstring, played six innings of defense at third base Monday with Las Vegas and converted all four fielding chances. Tracy said the plan was for Perez to build himself up to a full game by the end of the week. The Dodgers are eager to give Perez an opportunity at the position, what with their current third basemen, Jose Valentin and Norihiro Nakamura, hitting a combined .173 before playing the Washington Nationals on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.