Major League Baseball

Dodgers' Billingsley done for year

Published Apr. 21, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

Ken Rosenthal

The Los Angeles Dodgers officially lost right-hander Chad Billingsley for the season.

On Tuesday, the Dodgers announced Billingsley will have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday and will be out an expected 12 months.

''Just unfortunate,'' Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said before Tuesday's game against the Mets.

Remember in spring training when everyone wondered what the Dodgers would do with eight starting pitchers?

Three weeks into the season, only three of those pitchers are on their roster. The return of left-hander Ted Lilly from the disabled list on Wednesday will make four.

''You're probably going to need eight-to-10 starters,'' Mattingly said. ''You probably wouldn't think you'd need them in the first 20 days.''

Billingsley joins righty Zack Greinke (broken collarbone) and lefty Chris Capuano (calf) on the DL. The Dodgers traded righty Aaron Harang on April 6, largely because they had a surplus of starters at the time.

Right-hander Stephen Fife, who went 0-2 with a 2.70 ERA in five starts last season, will replace Billingsley and start Sunday in Baltimore. Lilly, coming off shoulder surgery, will be activated Wednesday, requiring another move.

Billingsley, in the second year of a three-year, $35 million contract, is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts this season.

''I'm sure he's disappointed,'' Mattingly said.

The Dodgers (7-10) have lost six consecutive games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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