To say that Dodgers manager Don Mattingly is always forthcoming with the media would be… well… unforthcoming. It’s not that he outright lies to them, he just makes a game out of toying with them by withholding information – and he clearly enjoys doing so.

Prior to Sunday’s series finale against the New York Mets it was announced that right-hander Carlos Frias, who had been initially scheduled to start Monday’s four-game series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, had been placed on the 15-day disabled list with lower back stiffness. Filling his slot on the Dodgers 25-man roster was left-handed reliever Danial Coulombe, with the operative word being reliever.

Frias is expected to return from the DL shortly after the All-Star break. The question is, will there be a spot for him in the Dodgers rotation? (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

During his pregame media briefing on Sunday, Mattingly was asked – point blank – who his starting pitcher was going to be on Monday.

“We haven’t announced who’s going to start,” Mattingly said. “We brought up Daniel Coulombe today for that [roster] spot and we’ll see what happens – what we do with our bullpen through the course of this game – and then make a decision.”

Now granted, a manager is technically not required to announce his starting lineup until lineup cards are exchanged at home plate immediately prior to the game, but as a matter of course, lineups are traditionally announced (approximately) three hours before every game to allow radio and television broadcasters (and the media) to share the lineups with their listeners, viewers, readers and social media followers.

Mattingly would go on to say that he would probably have a name for reporters later that day – and he did… sort of. But more on that in a second.

Speculation was that Dodgers long reliever Juan Nicasio would get the spot start for Frias with the rest of the Dodgers bullpen used to finish out the game – often referred to as a “bullpen game.” But this went out the window when Nicasio was brought in to pitch the seventh inning of Sunday’s eventual 8-0 loss to the Mets. He was followed by Coulombe, who pitched two innings in relief.

And now that more on that later thing.

During his post-game interview on Sunday, Mattingly announced that Triple-A starting pitcher Eric Surkamp – who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on May 22 – was being called up from Oklahoma City. However, Mattingly again toyed with reporters when asked – point blank – if Surkamp would start on Monday.

“We’re not sure about that yet.”

Since joining the OKC Dodgers on May 22, Surkamp is 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA. He has struck out 26 and walked 11 in his 34.0 innings of work. (Photo courtesy of OKC Dodgers)

Mattingly also would not say who’s going back down to make room for Surkamp, who is not on the Dodgers 40-man roster. Although it is probably safe to say that Coulombe will be optioned back down to OKC, there will have to be a corresponding roster move to make room for Surkamp on the 40-man.

There is some speculation that right-hander Chris Hatcher, who has yet to resume throwing, may be be moved from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL to make room for Surkamp on the 40-man roster, but here again, this is pure speculation and the actual roster moves will not be known until later today.

All of this said, it’s hard to believe that the Dodgers would call up Surkamp and not use him to start on Monday – especially after all of the roster moves necessary to facilitate his call-up.

But then again, it is Mattingly doing the talking here.