Chad Billingsley To Start On Three Days Rest Saturday

The Dodgers announced today that Chad Billingsley would get the start in San Francisco on Saturday, on three days rest. The club was previously considering in-house candidates, which as of now really only boils down to John Ely, currently in Triple A, for the Saturday start. But Billingsley, who turned 26 today, had a relatively short outing Tuesday, throwing 84 pitches in his six scoreless innings. He was pinch hit for in the top of the seventh of a scoreless tie.

Billingsley has never had three days rest in between starts, but he did make a start once three days after a relief appearance. On April 8, 2008 in Arizona, three days after two scoreless innings in relief of Hiroki Kuroda, Billingsley lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing five runs.

Two pitchers the Dodgers are rumored to be interested in were also not likely to pitch Saturday, as Ted Lilly of the Cubs is scheduled for Sunday, and Paul Maholm of the Pirates started today.