Perez’s Ankle Is Slow to Heal

The swelling in pitcher Odalis Perez’s sprained right ankle grew worse Monday and Tuesday, and the Dodger left-hander’s next scheduled start was pushed from Thursday night against the Padres to Saturday night against San Francisco.

But the way Perez hobbled from the training room to the dining room before Tuesday night’s game, he looked questionable for even Saturday. Perez, who injured the ankle running the bases Friday night in San Francisco, will undergo an MRI test and possibly a bone scan today.

X-rays of Perez’s ankle Tuesday were negative.

“He seemed to be OK in San Francisco ... but it’s probably a little more sprained than we thought at first,” said Dr. Frank Jobe, Dodger team physician. “We just don’t want to miss anything.”

Darren Dreifort, whose rotation spot was skipped on Monday’s off-day, will start in place of Perez against the Padres on Thursday night. Dreifort has an 0-8 record against San Diego.

If Perez, who was unable to throw in the bullpen as scheduled Tuesday, can’t complete a routine bullpen workout Thursday, he will be scratched from Saturday’s game and possibly put on the disabled list.

If Perez can’t go Saturday, either left-hander Troy Brohawn, who retired Giant slugger Barry Bonds three times over the weekend, or right-hander Andy Ashby would start.

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Jack Clark returned to the Dodgers on Tuesday for the first time since suffering serious injuries, including six broken ribs, a concussion, several deep cuts and abrasions, in a March 30 motorcycle accident in Phoenix. Like any good batting instructor, Clark tried to take some of the heat off his struggling hitters.

“I feel a little responsible for our slow start because of the distraction [he caused],” said Clark, who was on the bench for the game against the Padres. “There was nothing I could do about it -- it was unfortunate -- but it was something else that could have gotten into the guys’ minds.”

Clark’s ribs are sore, the middle finger of his right hand is in a splint, and he gets a little dizzy after standing up for long periods, “but it feels good to put a uniform on,” he said. “It gets a little better every day.”

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The Dodgers sold triple-A pitcher Brian Mallette to the Osaka Buffaloes of the Japanese League. Mallette, acquired last October to complete a four-player trade with Milwaukee that brought Tyler Houston to Los Angeles, had a 4.50 earned run average in one game at Las Vegas.... Left-hander Ricardo Rodriguez, one of two players the Dodgers traded to Cleveland for reliever Paul Shuey last July, is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his first three starts with the Indians, limiting left-handers to a .207 average.