Scott Elbert resumes rehab assignment in Rancho Cucamonga

LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers pitcher Scott Elbert will resume his minor league rehab assignment on Friday night, pitching for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, his first game in eight days.

The Quakes host the Lancaster JetHawks on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. PT. Elbert, wearing No. 21, is expected to throw roughly 25 pitches in relief.

Elbert, recovering from Tommy John surgery, and really three elbow surgeries since he last pitched for the Dodgers in August 2012, has allowed four runs in 5⅓ innings in six games, ranging from rookie-level Ogden to Rancho Cucamonga to Triple-A Albuquerque. Three of the runs came in his first game, and four of his last five outings have been scoreless, with six strikeouts and three walks in all six games combined.

Elbert last pitched for the Isotopes on July 3, but was sidelined for a week with a toe injury. It was more of a precaution than anything, as the Dodgers didn't want Elbert to change any of his mechanics to compensate for his toe while rehabbing.

The collective bargaining agreement allows for pitchers rehab assignments to last up to 30 days, which would mean the Dodgers need to make a decision to either add Elbert, who is out of options, back to the active roster or designate him for assignment by July 18, their first game back after the All-Star break.

But with new injuries or setbacks the rehab clock can restart, so with Elbert's toe jam the team might not need to make a decision so soon. But it's reasonable to assume that some time just after the All-Star break the Dodgers will have made their decision on the left-hander.