Brian Wilson activated from DL, Dodgers option Paco Rodriguez to Triple-A

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Dodgers activated setup man Brian Wilson from the disabled list before their game against the Giants on Tuesday night in San Francisco. To make room, the Dodgers optioned Paco Rodriguez to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Rodriguez and Chris Withrow are the only two pitchers with minor league options in the bullpen, and Withrow to date has 12 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings, with just three baserunners allowed.

The move leaves the Dodgers with just one left-handed pitcher, J.P. Howell, in their bullpen.

Wilson has pitched in two games this season for the Dodgers, striking out two in a scoreless inning on Opening Day in Sydney and allowing three runs without recording an out on March 30 in San Diego. The right-hander landed on the disabled list with irritation of the ulnar nerve in his right elbow.

Tuesday marks the first day Wilson was eligible to be activated. When he was placed on the disabled list Wilson cited his shortened spring training as a reason he wasn't at full strength.

"I wouldn't want to go out there and flip a coin on trying to get outs while trying to get my work in. It's not fair to the team, it's not fair to myself. I need to get work in now at a competitive level without causing any harm to the team," Wilson said on April 2. "I think everything will be fine once I get four, five, six innings under my belt, just to kind of finish spring training. I only threw four times because I had to get shut down for the same thing."

He pitched in just two minor league rehab games with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, then pitched a simulated inning with the Dodgers three times since.

Rodriguez pitched in eight of the Dodgers' first 13 games, and put up a 3.18 ERA with five strikeouts and two walks in 5⅔ innings.