LOS ANGELES (AP)—The Los Angeles Dodgers have declined 2012 club options
on infielder Casey Blake(notes) and pitcher Jon Garland(notes), both of whom had season-ending
surgeries.

Blake had a $6 million option. The 38-year-old third baseman had arthritis
in his spine that resulted in a pinched nerve, which limited him to 63 games in
which he hit .252 with four home runs and 26 RBIs. He was on the disabled list
three times.

Blake had neck surgery last month and was expected to be sidelined two to
three months.

Garland, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal, was projected to be the
fifth starter before he strained his left side in spring training. He was later
sidelined by a shoulder injury. The 32-year-old righty made just nine starts,
going 1-5 with a 4.33 ERA.

The team also outrighted infielder-outfielder Eugenio Velez(notes) to Triple-A
Albuquerque.

LOS ANGELES (AP)—The Los Angeles Dodgers have declined 2012 club options
on infielder Casey Blake(notes) and pitcher Jon Garland(notes), both of whom had season-ending
surgeries.

Blake had a $6 million option. The 38-year-old third baseman had arthritis
in his spine that resulted in a pinched nerve, which limited him to 63 games in
which he hit .252 with four home runs and 26 RBIs. He was on the disabled list
three times.

Blake had neck surgery last month and was expected to be sidelined two to
three months.

Garland, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal, was projected to be the
fifth starter before he strained his left side in spring training. He was later
sidelined by a shoulder injury. The 32-year-old righty made just nine starts,
going 1-5 with a 4.33 ERA.

The team also outrighted infielder-outfielder Eugenio Velez(notes) to Triple-A
Albuquerque.

LOS ANGELES – Former Great Lakes Loons star Dee Gordon was put on the disabled list as a precautionary measure by the Los Angeles Dodgers after hurting his shoulder for the second time in four games.

Given his 150-pound frame, Gordon’s durability is a concern. However, this is the first time in his career Gordon has gone on the disabled list.

Gordon initially hurt his shoulder Saturday, diving to tag out Arizona’s Kelly Johnson during a run-down. After sitting out two games, he hurt it again Tuesday after fouling off a pitch.

Gordon, who played for the Loons in 2009 and shared Midwest League MVP honors with teammate Kyle Russell, was hitting .234 with 18 steals in 30 games this season with the Dodgers.

latimes.com: After Wednesday’s game against the Phillies, Gordon stood in street clothes in the Dodgers’ clubhouse and said he “was a little bit nervous, I’m not going to lie,” about the extent of the injury.

“But thank God for what little did happen,” he said, adding that he had never taken an MRI exam before nor had he ever missed 15 days of playing time in his young sports career.

LOS ANGELES – Former Great Lakes Loons catcher Kenley Jansen was put on the Los Angeles Dodgers disabled list because of medication he is taking to remedy an irregular heartbeat.

Jansen was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat and is on blood-thinning medication that could cause him to bleed excessively if hit with a baseball.

Jansen, who converted to pitching, has a 3.65 earned run average in 34 games with the Dodgers.

He was replaced on the roster by another former Loon, reliever Josh Lindblohm.

latimes.com: The hard-throwing reliever will be on the medication for three weeks, after which he should be able to return to competition.

Trainer Stan Conte called the measure precautionary, saying it was very unlikely Jansen would have suffered a clot. The decision to take the blood-thinning medication and land on the disabled list was Jansen’s.

DENVER – The Los Angeles Dodgers have optioned rookie outfielder Jerry Sands to Triple-A Albuquerque and recalled left-handed hitting outfielder Trent Oeltjen.

Sands has struggled lately, collecting just three hits, all singles, in his last 35 at-bats. He didn’t figure to get sufficient playing time with Marcus Thames back from the disabled list. Manager Don Mattingly said playing everyday for the Isotopes will allow Sands to work out the kinks in his game.

Sands was hitting .200 with two homers, 10 doubles and 17 RBIs in 125 at-bats for the Dodgers.

Oeltjen batted .339 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs at Albuquerque, where he had a .429 on-base percentage and a .483 slugging percentage.