After elbow exam, Dodgers’ Zack Greinke to resume throwing

PHOENIX – Zack Greinke is scheduled to play catch Friday, four days after he returned to Los Angeles to get his sore right elbow examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Greinke won’t throw a bullpen session until next week. With only two weeks remaining in spring training, Manager Don Mattingly said he didn’t think it would be possible for Greinke to pitch in more than two exhibition games before the start of the regular season.

Greinke has pitched in only two games this spring and appears to be a longshot to be able to face the San Francisco Giants on April 2.

Because the Dodgers have two days off in the first eight days of the regular season, they won’t need a fifth starter until April 13. They could therefore place Greinke on the disabled list without making any alterations to their rotation.

Mattingly said he doesn’t want to use Greinke if he is at less than full strength, noting the burden it would place on his relievers. While the Dodgers have as many as three high-paid starting pitchers who could be moved to the bullpen -- Chris Capuano, Aaron Harang and Ted Lilly are the likely candidates -- Mattingly didn’t sound open to the idea of using any of them as a long reliever after an abbreviated start by Greinke.

The Dodgers will play a split-site, split-squad, day-night doubleheader Friday.

The early game will be against the San Diego Padres in Peoria at 1 p.m. They will later host the Kansas City Royals at 7 p.m.

Here are the lineups:

Dodgers vs. Padres

Dee Gordon SS
Andre Ethier RF
Matt Kemp CF
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Skip Schumaker 2B
Luis Cruz 3B
A.J. Ellis C
Alex Castellanos LF
Aaron Harang P

Dodgers vs. Royals

Tony Gwynn Jr. LF
Mark Ellis 2B
Alfredo Amezaga SS
Juan Uribe 1B
Yasiel Puig RF
Elian Herrera 3B
Tim Federowicz C
Justin Sellers SS
Stephen Fife P

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