Paco Rodriguez, Justin Sellers make Dodgers’ 25-man roster

Before the game Saturday, Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly spoke glowingly of the work veteran reliever Kevin Gregg had turned in this spring.

“He’s been great,” Mattingly said. “I know he can’t be this good. But every time out, he just gets outs.

“He couldn’t have had a better camp really. We’re just trying to figure a way to keep Kevin around.”

Turns out they couldn’t, at least for now.

After the Dodgers’ 2-1 loss to the Angels they announced most, but not all, of their moves to get the roster down to 25 for Monday’s season opener.

And Gregg (0.82 earned-run average this spring) was out; left-hander Paco Rodriguez was in.

The surprising addition of Rodriguez means the Dodgers will start the season with at least three left-handers in the bullpen: J.P. Howell, Chris Capuano and Rodriguez.

For much of last year, the Dodgers made do with one lefty in the bullpen.

“When someone pitches like [Gregg], it’s hard to send him down,” Mattingly said. But “we always felt like we needed at least two left-handers.”

Capuano can serve in a variety of roles, including long relief. Rodriguez -- drafted only last June -- is more of a left-handed specialist.

Mattingly also confirmed that Justin Sellers had made the team, which means the experiment begun in the Freeway Series with Sellers as the starting shortstop will continue. Defense rules, for now.

In other moves made after the game, outfielder Alex Castellanos, utility player Elian Herrera and right-handed pitchers Josh Wall and Stephen Fife were optioned to minor league camp, and utility man Alfredo Amezaga, catcher Matt Wallach, right-hander Peter Moylan and Gregg were reassigned to their minor league camp.

The Dodgers are currently at 28 players on their roster and have to call back Sellers. Barring a last-minute trade, they are expected to place Ted Lilly, Chad Billingsley, Hanley Ramirez and Scott Elbert on the disabled list Sunday.

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