CHICAGO Alex Guerrero’s exaggerated enthusiasm couldn’t hide his genuine enthusiasm for the possibility.

“Donde? Philadelphia?” Guerrero said, laughing and raising his hands to the sky in prayer when it was pointed out that his name was likely to come up in speculation as a potential trade chip if the Dodgers are going to acquire pitching help before the trade deadline.

Guerrero has never played at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park but clearly knows of its hitter-friendly reputation, rolling his eyes at the thought of what it would do for his power numbers. He laughed and puffed out his chest, proudly saying, “Si” when asked if he thought a trade straight up for Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels made sense.

Unlikely as that scenario is, Guerrero acknowledges he would welcome being part of a trade if it landed him in a situation that promised a more substantial role.

“In this business, you have to understand those things happen,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “I’m comfortable here in Los Angeles. I like my teammates. I like my coaches. But I also have to think of my career. If there’s a chance for more playing time, that would be good for me.”

A star not a role player in Cuba, Guerrero initiated a conversation with Dodgers manager Don Mattingly about his lack of playing time earlier in the year.

“I like it when players come in and say they want to play. Nothing wrong with that at all,” Mattingly said, perhaps more open to that in the abstract than he has been while juggling an agenda-filled roster the past two years. “He did it and I felt he did it in a totally professional way, respectful, handled himself like a total pro.

“You respect that when guys come in and want to play. It lets you know who they are.”

Guerrero has cooled considerably since the hot start that prompted that conversation, and Mattingly continues to find only sporadic starts for Guerrero. Where his defense was once the biggest obstacle to Guerrero’s playing time, Justin Turner is now. Turner’s emergence as a pivotal player in the Dodgers’ lineup has all but shut off Guerrero’s opportunities at third base where Mattingly has more often turned to Alberto Callaspo and his left-handed bat to spell Turner. Guerrero has not started at third base since May 24. He has made 11 starts since then – 10 in left field and one at DH.

“I’m probably more comfortable with him at third than in left,” Mattingly said. “I think he’s more comfortable which makes me more comfortable. … Third’s just been more of a product of Justin more than anything else.”

“I try to help the team whatever way they feel they need me to,” said Guerrero, who is 7 for 23 (.304) with a double, three home runs and nine RBI as a pinch-hitter. “I can’t control how they write the lineup.

“I’m pretty sure when I played third I didn’t make any errors. When I played the outfield, I haven’t been perfect. But I’ve been serviceable.”

OLIVERA SETBACK

Hector Olivera won’t be joining the Dodgers any time soon, most likely not until after the All-Star break at the earliest now.

The Cuban infielder was placed on the DL with Triple-A Oklahoma City after straining his left hamstring over the weekend. The injury is considered a mild Grade 1 strain but that could still sideline Olivera for 2-3 weeks or more.

Olivera headed back to Arizona to rehab the injury at the Dodgers’ training complex.

“Never really had a true timetable so I don’t know if it changes the timetable any,” Mattingly said.

Olivera had played seven games with the OKC Dodgers after playing six with Double-A Tulsa. Overall, he was 19 for 53 (.358) with a .921 OPS. Olivera had four multi-hit games in his seven games in Triple-A. He was splitting time between second and third base.

NOTES

When the Dodgers acquired left-hander Ian Thomas as part of their trade with the Atlanta Braves, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said he saw Thomas’ future being as a starting pitcher. Thomas did make three starts for the OKC Dodgers before his promotion to the Dodgers this week, going at least five innings each time with a 2.75 ERA over the three starts. But Mattingly said Thomas’ promotion was not a sign that the Dodgers were considering a change in their rotation. “Not at this moment,” he said. … Paco Rodriguez and Pedro Baez each threw a hitless inning for Oklahoma City on Tuesday night on their rehab assignments.

Contact the writer: bplunkett@ocregister.com