Claudio Vargas, a fifth-starter candidate for the Dodgers until being disabled the last week of Spring Training with a partially torn elbow tendon, made his 2009 debut Tuesday night by throwing a hitless inning with one strikeout for Single-A Inland Empire. — Ken Gurnick

The regular left side of the Dodgers infield — third baseman Casey Blake and shortstop Rafael Furcal — is not starting in Monday night’s game against Arizona. Mark Loretta replaces Blake, who has a hamstring strain. Juan Castro replaces Furcal, who said after Sunday night’s game in Chicago that he felt fine. — Ken Gurnick

With Hiroki Kuroda being activated off the disabled list to start Monday night, the Dodgers optioned third catcher A.J. Ellis back to Triple-A Albuquerque. Ellis was called up Friday when Will Ohman went on the disabled list. — Ken Gurnick

The Dodgers Sunday placed Saturday’s starting pitcher, Eric Stults, on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb and recalled right-handed reliever Travis Schlichting from Double-A Chattanooga. — Ken Gurnick

Dodgers manager Joe Torre said he wouldn’t want to see suspended outfielder Manny Ramirez in this year’s All-Star Game because it should be a reward for players that have good first halves. Torre said Ramirez would agree. Ramirez ranks fourth at the position in the most recent voting. — Ken Gurnick

Dodgers manager said disabled Opening Day starter Hiroki Kuroda is likely to be activated to start Monday night against Arizona, as long as his bullpen session later Friday goes without a hitch. It’s undecided who would come out of the rotation between Eric Stults and Eric Milton. — Ken Gurnick

Dodgers suspended outfielder Manny Ramirez worked out at Dodger Stadium Monday morning for the first time since receiving a 50-game suspension on May 7 for violating the MLB drug policy. Ramirez worked out while the club was in Colorado to open a three-game series with the Rockies. — Ken Gurnick

The toe injury suffered Saturday night put Andre Ethier on the bench Sunday and forced manager Joe Torre to get creative with his lineup. Torre rested shortstop Rafael Furcal as planned, but he didn’t give catcher Russell Martin the day off as expected. Martin was batting second in the lineup and Casey Blake moved from eighth to Ethier’s clean-up spot, followed by James Loney, Matt Kemp and rookie Jamie Hoffmann, making his first Major League start for Ethier in right field, with Juan Castro batting eighth and replacing Furcal at short. — Ken Gurnick

The Dodgers received right-handed reliever Eric Krebs from the Pittsburgh Pirates to complete the April 14 trade for Delwyn Young.  The 24-year-old Krebs, a 14th-round pick in 2005, was assigned to Double-A Chattanooga. At Altoona, the hard-throwing but wild Krebs was 2-4 with a 4.10 ERA and in 16 2/3 innings had 15 strikeouts but 17 walks. — Ken Gurnick

Double-A catcher Lucas May, who hit .533 (16-for-30) with two homers and four RBI during a nine-game hitting streak, suffered a hairline fracture of the wrist and will be out at least a month. — Ken Gurnick