PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona Diamondbacks have placed closer J.J. Putz on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Wednesday, with right elbow tendinitis after the right-hander struggled in recent appearances.
The team also reinstated right-handed reliever Sam Demel from the disabled list and selected the contract of veteran infielder Sean Burroughs from Triple-A Reno.
As manager Kirk Gibson had announced after Wednesday night’s loss to Cleveland, the Diamondbacks released third baseman Melvin Mora.
Arizona plays a three-game interleague series at Oakland starting Friday night.
Putz signed a two-year, $10 million free agent contract with Arizona in the offseason and became the leader of a revamped bullpen, converting his first four save opportunities. But the past month was a rough one, and although Gibson insisted on Monday night that Putz was not hurt, the reliever gave up a run in the ninth in a 5-4 loss on Monday, then allowed a two-run homer on Tuesday to blow a save in Arizona’s 6-4 victory. Putz is 1-2 with a 3.21 ERA.
Closer duties are expected to fall to set-up man David Hernandez.
Burroughs, who can move into Mora’s backup third baseman role, will be on his second stint with the Diamondbacks. He hit .250 (6-for-24) with a double in 23 games from May 19-June 19, mostly as a pinch hitter. He hit .412 with 11 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 25 RBIs in his two times with Reno. He comes to the big leagues on a nine-game hitting streak.
Demel had been on the DL since May 25 with right shoulder tendinitis. The 25-year-old reliever was 1-2 with a 1.72 ERA in 21 games before he was hurt.
In other bullpen moves earlier this week, the Diamondbacks selected the contracts of right-hander Yhency Brazoban and lefty Alberto Castillo and optioned right-handers Esmerling Vasquez and Bryan Shaw to Reno.
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