After spending most of the season getting right-handed pitcher Claudio Vargas healthy, the Dodgers Friday traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers for Minor League catcher Vinny Rottino. The move opens a spot on the 25-man Dodgers roster for reliever George Sherrill, who was acquired from Baltimore Thursday. Vargas was on the disabled list the first three months of the season with an elbow injury.  – Ken Gurnick

While negotiations on the George Sherrill were ongoing Thursday, the Dodgers recalled left-handed reliever Scott Elbert and optioned back to Triple-A Albuquerque left-handed reliever Brent Leach. Elbert had been scratched from a scheduled start Wednesday night. Elbert, who has been mentioned in trade rumors, had been optioned to Albuquerque 10 days earlier. – Ken Gurnick

Left-hander Scott Elbert, scheduled to start for Albuquerque Wednesday night, was scratched. Indications are that he will be recalled on Thursda, after spending the required 10 days in the Minor Leagues following his optioning on July 20. — Ken Gurnick

Jason Schmidt was named to start Friday night’s game in Atlanta by Dodgers manager Joe Torre Wednesday. Schmidt is coming off a three-inning start against Florida, his second start in two years. – Ken Gurnick

Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully will work through the 2010 season, then retire, he told the Los Angeles Times. Scully, 81, is in his 60th season at the mike for the club. – Ken Gurnick

If the Dodgers acquire a left-handed reliever before Friday’s trade deadline, it most likely will be Baltimore’s George Sherrill. They’ve been scouting him the past two weeks and the Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports that the Dodgers have backed away from talks for Indians starter Cliff Lee and are focusing on Sherrill. – Ken Gurnick

The price in players for Toronto ace Roy Halladay is “two or three players off our current club, including a young pitcher, or five or six prospects,” Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti told KABC Radio Friday morning. Colletti wouldn’t mention names, but presumably the young pitcher is either Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley or Jonathan Broxton. Trading any of them would hardly improve the Dodgers’ chances this year, not to mention the other player off the Major League club, not to mention the long term impact. However, a larger deal (or separate deal) could be made with Toronto that would return reliever and former Dodgers farmhand Jason Frasor, according to the Toronto Globe. Frasor would address the Dodgers’ other need, a veteran reliever. – Ken Gurnick

Dodgers employees, still stunned over Manny Ramirez’s jaw-dropping pinch grand-slam homer Wednesday night, arrived at Dodger Stadium Thursday morning to find Ramirez taking batting practice. Although the club has a rare day off in the middle of a homestand, Ramirez had arranged for first-base coach Mariano Duncan to pitch to him, apparently not wanting to go two days without taking live batting practice. Ramirez skipped batting practice Wednesday because of a sore hand that also kept him out of the starting lineup. Then pinch-hitting in the sixth inning, he rocketed Nick Masset’s first pitch into the Mannywood section of seats for a grand slam. – Ken Gurnick

Disputing media speculation that he’s out for the year, disabled reliever Ronald Belisario played catch for the second conecutive day and said his elbow was painfree. Belisario will increase the intensity of his throwing and won’t likely return until next month. – Ken Gurnick

Jason Schmidt, out more than two years with shoulder problems, will start for the Dodgers Monday night against Cincinnati, manager Joe Torre announced Saturday. – Ken Gurnick