Swollen knee puts Ellis on the DL

ATLANTA — The Dodgers put a catcher on the15- day disabled list Monday, but it wasn’t Yasmani Grandal, whose mask was struck by a foul ball Sunday.

The catcher in question was A. J. Ellis, who replaced Grandal on Sunday in the Dodgers’ 5- 0 victory over the Washington Nationals.

Ellis has inflammation in his right knee, which required the Dodgers to promote Austin Barnes from triple- A Oklahoma City to take his place on the active roster. With Manager Don Mattingly wanting to give Grandal a couple of days off, Barnes started behind the plate in the series opener against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.

Mattingly described Ellis’ injury as relatively minor. An MRI examination revealed no structural damage, the manager said.

“He was able to hit, able to throw,” Mattingly said. “He could pretty much do everything except get into a deep crouch and that’s really one thing we have to be able todo.”

Mattingly said Ellis first experience discomfort on the team’s charter flight from Washington to Atlanta.

As for Grandal, hewas able to pinch- hit in the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 7- 5 seriesopening defeat to the Braves. Grandal singled to left field.

“I think we dodged a bullet,” Mattingly said.

Mattingly was told by the team’s medical staff that Grandal could play, but Mattingly exercised caution and said he was inclined to hold him out of the lineup until the series finale Wednesday.

For Barnes, his promotion to the major leagues was his second. He played in five games in his previous call- up, whichwas in late May. Hewas batting .304 in triple A.

Roster shuffle

Carl Crawford is expected to be activated Tuesday from the 60- day DL, meaning the Dodgers have to make a major roster move.

The Dodgers could be disinclined to option utility man Enrique Hernandez to the minors, as he is the backup to 36-year- old-Jimmy Rollins at shortstop. Alberto Callaspo is batting only .225, but the team prefers him as the backup third baseman over Alex Guerrero, who is viewed as a defensive liability. Guerrero can’t be sent to the minor leagues without his consent.

Reserve outfielder Scott Van Slyke could be the odd man out. He has started only once in the last 24 days.