Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer is expected to miss six weeks with a knee injury suffered Sunday.
Mercer was diagnosed with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and a lower leg contusion, and the Pirates placed him on the 15-day disabled list Monday. They recalled infielder Brent Morel from Triple-A Indianapolis and moved utility player Corey Hart to the 60-day DL to create a spot for Morel on the 40-man roster.
Mercer was forced to leave Pittsburgh’s loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday after colliding with center fielder Carlos Gomez. Lined up on the other side of second base as part of a defensive shift, Mercer fielded Adam Lind’s grounder and tried to make the tag on Gomez, who dropped into a slide to break up a possible double play.
—The Los Angeles Dodgers, already without catcher Yasmani Grandal, placed catcher A.J. Ellis on the 15-day disabled list Monday with inflammation in his right knee.
The Dodgers recalled Austin Barnes from Triple-A Oklahoma City, and he started Monday night.
Ellis felt tightness in the knee on the team plane Sunday night. An MRI on Monday showed no structural damage, but manager Don Mattingly said Ellis can’t crouch into position.
Grandal was hit in the mask by a pitch Sunday. X-rays of his jaw were negative, and he is expected to return Wednesday.
—The Cincinnati Reds placed left-handed reliever Manny Parra on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left elbow.
Parra is in the final season of a two-year, $5.5 million contract. During a 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Sunday, Parra threw 31 pitches over 1 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and walking a batter with the bases loaded.
The team also recalled right-hander Dylan Axelrod from Triple-A Louisville. He is 6-6 with a 4.05 ERA with Louisville. To make room for Axelrod on the 40-man roster, the Reds moved catcher Devin Mesoraco to the 60-day disabled list. Mesoraco is out for the season after hip surgery.
—The Seattle Mariners recalled left-hander J.A. Happ from High Class A Bakersfield and optioned first baseman/designated hitter Jesus Montero to Triple-A Tacoma.
Happ was scheduled to be the starting pitcher on Monday night against the Detroit Tigers. Happ, 32, is 4-5 with a 4.14 ERA over 95 2/3 innings in 17 starts this season for the Mariners. He was optioned to Bakersfield over the All-Star break, but he did not pitch in a game.
Montero, 25, appeared in five games with Seattle after being recalled on July 9. He hit .300 with one run and one RBI and walked three times while striking out only once.
—The Kansas City Royals activated right-hander Kris Medlen from the disabled list Monday and sent right-hander Yohan Pino to Triple-A Omaha.
Medlen, 29, recently completed a rehab stint as he returns from a second Tommy John surgery.
Medlen, a former starter, will pitch from the bullpen for now, manager Ned Yost said.
—The Atlanta Braves reinstated left-hander Andrew McKirahan to the active roster after he served an 80-game suspension.
Major League Baseball suspended McKirahan without pay in April for using a performance-enhancing drug. He tested positive for Ipamorelin.
McKirahan will take the roster spot of right-hander Ryan Kelly, who was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after Sunday’s game.