Vicente Padilla (elbow) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings Tuesday in his second minor league rehab appearance with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Padilla allowed one hit and struck out three. He could be activated from the disabled list as soon as Friday, where he'll pitch in a bullpen role.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) could be activated from the disabled list following his second rehab appearance with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday.

Padilla allowed one run on two hits while striking out one and walking one in his first rehab appearance Sunday. If all goes well Tuesday, he could return when the team opens up a six-game road trip Friday.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Sunday.

He'll be limited to 25 pitches in his first outing. The veteran right-hander will likely need at least 3-4 additional appearances before rejoining the Dodgers as their long man out of the bullpen.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Friday.

Padilla was shut down for a little while after experiencing soreness in his forearm, but he's still expected, barring any more setbacks, to return by the end of the month. He'll serve as the long man out of the bullpen.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) remains on track to return later this month despite recently dealing with soreness in his forearm.

Padilla was examined Thursday after complaining about the soreness, but there's nothing structurally wrong. He received a shot and will rest a couple days before resuming his rehab. "I'm still really optimistic he's ahead of schedule," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Our best case was the end of the month and that got pushed up with a lot of excitement the way he was going, but we're still on target with him."

Vicente Padilla (elbow) threw 60 pitches Sunday in a minor league rehab game.

The outing lasted four innings and Padilla reported no lingering pain or discomfort in his surgically-repaired right forearm. He's hoping to return to a long relief or starting job by the end of this month.

Dodgers placed RHP Vicente Padilla on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 22, recovery from right elbow surgery.

Padilla faced live hitters on Sunday for the first time since undergoing surgery to free an entrapped radial nerve in his right forearm last month. He was throwing at good velocity and the Dodgers are confident he's ahead of schedule. Assuming he doesn't run into any setbacks, he should return in a relief role sometime in April.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) threw off a mound Friday for the third time since having surgery late last month on the entrapped radial nerve on his throwing arm.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly is optimistic about Padilla's recovery. "If everything progresses, I definitely think we're looking at April," Mattingly said. Once he's ready to return, Padilla will be the long man out of the Dodgers bullpen and serve as insurance for the rotation.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) is aiming to throw live batting practice Sunday in Dodgers camp.

Padilla threw 28 pitches from a bullpen mound Thursday and looked "impressive," according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. The right-hander is hoping to return to action by the end of April.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) threw from the mound for the second straight day Tuesday.

Padilla threw 15 pitches "at his highest velocity yet," according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, before throwing breaking balls off flat ground. The veteran right-hander is making excellent progress from surgery to free an entrapped radial nerve in his right forearm last month. There's no current timetable for his return, but it could be sooner rather than later since he's expected to pitch in relief.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) threw a pain-free bullpen session on Friday morning in Dodgers camp.

Padilla fired 30 pitches at about 90 percent effort and reported no issues with his surgically-repaired right elbow when he was finished. It was his first time throwing off a mound since the late-February procedure. The Dodgers are hoping he'll be back by mid-April.

Vicente Padilla (elbow) played long toss Friday and hopes to throw a bullpen session in about 10 days.

Padilla had surgery late last month on the entrapped radial nerve on his throwing arm and said that his forearm is pain-free. "I'm good," he said. "I'm just going to keep doing what they tell me to do." It's not clear when Padilla will be ready to pitch in a game.

Vicente Padilla (elbow surgery) said Saturday he can resume throwing in 3-4 weeks and predicted he'd need another 3-4 weeks to be game-ready.

That would put him on track to return sometime in April if all goes well, though the "game-ready" timetable seems like more of a guess on Padilla's part. The Dodgers have only said that they hope he can return sometime before the All-Star break. Padilla will serve as a long reliever and "No. 6" starter once he's ready.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Vicente Padilla's elbow surgery on Thursday "went well."

Padilla needed surgery to release a trapped nerve in his forearm. The hope is that the 33-year-old right-hander could begin throwing in 3-4 weeks and make his return prior to the All-Star break. The Dodgers brought him back this winter as a long reliever and insurance for their starting rotation.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Wednesday that he "absolutely" expects Vicente Padilla (elbow) to return this season.

In fact, Colletti believes that Padilla could be back before the All-Star break. The 33-year-old right-hander is scheduled to undergo elbow surgery on Thursday in order to free up a nerve entrapped in his forearm. We won't know an official timeline on his rehab until after the procedure is completed, but this is encouraging news.

Vicente Padilla will undergo surgery on his right elbow on Thursday.

The procedure, according to the team, will free up the nerve that is entrapped in his forearm. The timetable for his return will be determined after surgery. Padilla, 33, was re-signed by the Dodgers this winter as a long reliever and insurance for their starting rotation.

Vicente Padilla is flying back to Los Angeles to undergo an MRI on his right elbow.

Padilla is having pains in his throwing elbow and the Dodgers want him to get checked out before the start of live spring games. It's not anything to fret about yet, at least not until the results of the MRI are reviewed and reported on Wednesday. Padilla, 33, is expected to serve as a long reliever and as rotation insurance this year for the Dodgers.

Dodgers re-signed RHP Vicente Padilla to a one-year, $2 million contract.

The contract was agreed to earlier this week and finally went official Thursday evening after Padilla passed his physical. The 33-year-old is expected to serve as a kind of swing-man for the Dodgers this season, operating mostly in relief but capable of starting. He posted a stellar 1.08 WHIP and struck out 84 batters in 95 innings this past season.

Vicente Padilla is scheduled to undergo a physical Thursday in L.A.

If he passes, his one-year, $2 million contract with the Dodgers will be finalized. The Dodgers already have a full starting rotation, but they can use Padilla as a long reliever and then throw him into the rotation mix if there's an emergency or if one of the top guys needs an extra day off. Padilla, 33, posted a good-looking 4.07 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 95 innings in 2010.

The Dodgers are close to agreement on a one-year, $2 million contract with right-hander Vicente Padilla, according to MLB.com.

Padilla posted a solid 4.07 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 95 innings for the Dodgers this past season. Pitchers with far worse stats have been cashing in on lucrative multi-year deals, but the 33-year-old Padilla struggled with both arm and neck injuries in 2010 and that probably scared away many of his potential suitors. He will serve as a sort of swing man in Los Angeles next year, working as both a starter and long reliever.