Brandon Beachy will start Saturday for Dodgers

LOS ANGELES -- For the first time in nearly 23 months, Brandon Beachy will pitch in a major league game, named the starting pitcher for the Dodgers against the Brewers for Saturday.

"I can't even remember 23 months ago," Beachy said Friday with a smile. "I feel like I can get people out. I feel good."

Manager Don Mattingly made the announcement on Friday. Beachy, who made five minor league rehab starts between Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and Triple-A Oklahoma City, was brought up earlier in the week as a possibility for Saturday, though on Thursday Mattingly downplayed the chances Beachy would start Saturday.

"Yesterday when we talked I didn't think he would be the starter today. We knew phyiscally he was ready, just through the trainers and how he's been doing and bouncing back," Mattingly said. "He's had some conversations with Farhan [Zaidi, general manager] and some of the guys, and absolutely feels like he's ready to go. That's what we needed to hear. We weren't worried about the physical part, it was more the mental side, and he sounds ready to go."

Beachy last pitched in a major league game on Aug. 20, 2013 with the Braves. He is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, a process that was trying at times.

"It was tedious and long. There were a lot of ups and down. At times it felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel. There were some dark days in there," Beachy said. "But it was something I'm really glad I went through, and it's something I'll always remember."

The right-hander said he made some mechanical adjustments during his rehab, though it was just part of the process.

"I didn't reinvent the wheel. I made some minor changes, just trying to be more efficient. Any time you have that long of a layoff, there is some dust to kick off," Beachy said. "I feel like, little by little, I've done that."

Beachy threw 93 pitches in six innings for Oklahoma City on Monday and should be ready for a normal starter's workload on Saturday.

"He's probably going to be a little jacked up and a little bit nervous, and you never know how it's going to go that first game," Mattingly said. "But we've gone through a lot of guys, and we feel like he gives us the best chance to win."

The Dodgers will need to make a corresponding move to add Beachy, who is on the 60-day disabled list, to the 40-man roster, as well as adding him to the active roster before Saturday night's game.

Beachy will be the 12th different pitcher to start a game for the Dodgers this season.