The Dodgers are concerned that the injured Chad Billingsley might not return this season, apparently explaining why the team remains in search of starting pitching even after acquiring Josh Beckett last week.

Stan Kasten, the Dodgers’ president and chief executive officer, said Thursday night that he fears Billingsley is done for the year. Kasten spoke at a fan discussion presented by the Los Angeles Times and moderated by columnist Bill Dwyre.

In an interview later, Kasten said his comments were made out of concern and “not based on medical evidence.” He said the Dodgers’ search for pitching was not necessarily motivated by Billingsley’s injury.

“There has never been a team in the history of baseball that has not been looking for pitching,” Kasten said.


Citing inflammation in his right elbow, the Dodgers put Billingsley on the disabled list last Saturday, one day after he left a start because of the injury. In his six previous starts, he was 6-0 with a 1.30 earned-run average.

The Dodgers are 3-1/2 games behind the San Francisco Giants in the National League West and 1-1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the race for the second NL wild card. Their starting rotation beyond ace Clayton Kershaw appears shaky.

Beckett, acquired in the nine-player trade with the Boston Red Sox, lost his Dodgers debut on Monday and was 5-11 with a 5.23 ERA for the Red Sox.

Joe Blanton is 1-3 with a 7.71 ERA in five starts since the Dodgers acquired him from the Philadelphia Phillies last month.


Chris Capuano is 1-5 with a 5.77 ERA in his last seven starts. Aaron Harang is 2-3 with a 4.97 ERA in his last five starts, in which he has pitched beyond six innings just once.

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