Tim Redding not expecting to be sidelined

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A day after he was removed from a game because of back pain, fifth-starter candidate Tim Redding said he was able to throw without any discomfort.

Redding said he expected to throw a bullpen session Sunday, as was previously scheduled.

Redding said he started feeling pain in the lower-right area of his back in the second inning of the Dodgers’ 6-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. He left the game in the fourth inning.

John Ely, the Dodgers’ other fifth-starter candidate, was optioned to minor-league camp, where it will be easier for him to remain on a starter’s schedule. The Dodgers don’t need a fifth starter until April 12.

In other news, the Dodgers reassigned Eugenio Velez to minor-league camp and granted Ron Mahay his release.

The Dodgers’ lineup Saturday versus the San Diego Padres in Peoria:

Rafael Furcal SS
Xavier Paul LF
Andre Ethier RF
Matt Kemp CF
James Loney 1B
Juan Uribe 3B
Rod Barajas C
Jamey Carroll 2B
Clayton Kershaw SP

-- Dylan Hernandez, reporting from Phoenix