Former Cy Young winner Eric Gagne’s comeback will continue at Minor League camp after he was among the seven players the Dodgers moved out of the Major League clubhouse.

 

In addition to Gagne, the Dodgers optioned pitched Scott Elbert and reassigned pitcher Scott Dohmann, outfielder Michael Restovich and  infielder John Lindsey. Elbert had been in the running for the fifth starter job, but had been slowed by a sore shoulder and a 20.25 ERA.

 

The Dodgers also returned left-handed Rule 5 pick Armando Zerpa to the Boston organization. — Ken Gurnick

Dodgers outfielder Xavier Paul left Sunday’s game in Taiwan in the bottom of the seventh inning when he experienced a nose bleed after sneezing while playing center field. Paul said he was fine afterward and did not expect to miss any playing time. — Ken Gurnick

Hong-Chih Kuo has been scratched from his scheduled start Sunday in Taiwan with a sore elbow, ruining the chance to pitch in his homeland for the Dodgers. Kuo, who has had four elbow operations, including two Tommy John reconstructions, said he experienced some soreness during his perfect inning in Tuesday’s exhibition game in Arizona and again during a bullpen session Friday, after which he notified the team training staff. He will be shut down indefinitely. — Ken Gurnick

After waiting for more than two hours, officials cancelled Saturday’s sold-out exhibition game in Taipei between the Dodgers and the Chinese Professional Baseball League All-Stars. The game will not be made up, as the series finale is scheduled for Sunday in Kaohsiung, 150 miles south of Taipei. The Dodgers will fly back to Arizona immediately following Sunday’s game. — Ken Gurnick

The Dodgers game in Taiwan, scheduled to start at 10:07 p.m. (PT), will be delayed by rain that has been falling for more than three hours and is expected to last at least another hour. The soldout game at Tienmu Stadium is the second of a three-game series against the Chinese Professional Baseball League All-Stars. The first two games were scheduled for Taipei, with Sunday’s series finale at Kaohsiung County Stadium. — Ken Gurnick

One day after manager Joe Torre said he wouldn’t run 40-year-old catcher Brad Ausmus “into the ground” in the absence of the injured Russell Martin, Ausmus said he needs no special attention.

“I’m in just as good a shape now as I was when I caught every day,” Ausmus said. “I’m not worried about how much playing time I can handle. I know my bat has slowed  down and my arm is not as quick as it once was, but physically I don’t have a lot of aches and pains.

“If Joe asks me to play every day, I can play every day. If he asks me to play no days, I’ll play no days. Neither concerns me or anything in between. The important thing is winning games and it’s Joe’s call. I’ll never tell a manager I need time off.”

Torre hasn’t ruled out Ausmus emerging as the primary catcher while Martin expected to miss Opening Day because of a pulled groin muscle. A.J. Ellis will share time with Ausmus this Spring.

“We had a little discussion and I told Brad my plan is to get him enough work and by the time Spring Training is over, we’ll figure out the breakdown,” Torre said. — Ken Gurnick 

Pinch-hitter candidate Brian Giles had three hits and John Lindsey a home run, but the player that impressed manager Joe Torre the most in the morning “B” game with the White Sox Monday was 22-year-old right-hander Josh Lindblom with two scoreless innings. Lindblom made an unexpected run at a roster spot late last Spring, but general manager Ned Colletti prevailed and kept Lindblom in the Minor Leagues all season.

“Am I allowed to say it with my general manager around,” Torre asked, after naming Lindblom as the player that caught his eye. “He’s pretty simple to watch. His ball explodes at the end with something on it.”

Fifth-starter candidate Scott Elbert allowed three runs in two innings. Travis Schlichting and Javy Guerra pitched effective single innings and centerfielder Trayvon Robinson made a diving catch. The Dodgers hit into four double-plays. — Ken Gurnick

 

Reliever Cory Wade on Sunday said he was fine, but manager Joe Torre said Monday that Wade had a an injection in his chronically sore shoulder “three days ago” after an MRI revealed no structural damage and is “shut down for two weeks.”

It’s the second consecutive Spring that Wade has come up sore. — Ken Gurnick

One of the more familiar names in the Dodgers Minor League camp is right-handed pitcher Seth Etherton, a first-round pick of the Angels in 1998 who signed for $1.075 million. Etherton has since played with four teams in the Major Leagues, going a combined 9-7 with a 6.30 ERA. But the former USC star also was in independent ball in 2008 and Triple-A for Arizona last year. He’s 33 and last played in the Majors in 2006. Other former Major Leaguers in Minor League camp include Timo Perez and John Koronka. — Ken Gurnick

Rain washed out the Dodgers’ exhibition game against the Cubs Sunday, so scheduled starter Clayton Kershaw instead will follow starter Chad Billingsley to the mound Monday against the Giants in Scottsdale. After the two starters, Rule 5 pick Carlos Monasterios is likely to pitch. Also on the trip will be Josh Towers, Jon Link, Juan Perez and Francisco Felix.

The Dodgers also have scheduled a morning “B” game against the White Sox to pick up some of the innings lost Sunday. Among the pitchers in that game will be Scott Elbert, Josh Lindblom, Ramon Troncoso, Travis Schlichting, Kenley Jansen, Javy Guerra and Rule 5 pick Armando Zerpa. — Ken Gurnick