LOS ANGELES -- Brad Penny is "out of the mix" as a starting pitcher should the Dodgers reach the postseason, manager Joe Torre said on Saturday, although Penny said he'll make one last attempt on Tuesday to throw a bullpen session and possibly sneak in a start at the end of the week.

Penny has been battling persistent right shoulder stiffness most of the season and couldn't be sure that a cortisone injection on Friday into his A/C joint made much of a difference. He said he will know better on Tuesday.

Torre, however, sounded like he's made his decision, leaving only the slightest wiggle room.

"Penny is out of the mix right now," he said. "There's still not a lot of comfort there. He hasn't pitched. For me to say he'll be part of it, that's a tough decision to say he would be back on his amount of activity. There's not enough action left, at least for the first round."

Other than saying he would go with a four-man rotation for a five-game National League Division Series if the Dodgers get there, Torre was uncomfortable speculating on any decisions for the postseason roster, including the roles of pitcher Greg Maddux and infielder Jeff Kent.

"Whatever decision you make, everybody pretty much knows if they're involved," Torre said. "Guys like Maddux, they can look around, and they know the situation. I haven't spent time thinking about it."

Those decisions could be further complicated by the status of reliever Hong-Chih Kuo, who has pitched once in the last 14 games. Kuo has resumed playing catch but won't be available for a game until Tuesday at the earliest.

Torre said a decision would soon be made on whether the starting rotation would be juggled next week because of Monday's day off. Another reason for changing the rotation is to set it up for the postseason. Derek Lowe is currently scheduled to start on Saturday in San Francisco. Moving him to Friday would set him up to start again on Oct. 1, when the NLDS begins.