Major League Baseball

Dodgers put reliever Belisario on restricted list

Published Jul. 8, 2010 1:53 a.m. ET

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The Los Angeles Dodgers placed reliever Ronald Belisario on the restricted list Wednesday because of personal reasons.

Belisario pitched shutout ball over the final three innings in the Dodgers' 6-5 loss to the Florida Marlins on Monday night, and was warming up in the bullpen at one point during Tuesday's game. The Dodgers are allowed to keep him on the restricted list for a maximum of 30 days.

``Let's put it this way, I'm surprised by this,'' said Dodgers manager Joe Torre, adding that he had no indication of how long Belisario will be away from the club. ``Ned (general manager Ned Colletti) told me last night after the game and gave me a heads-up that there would be something going on with him. That was the extent of it. That's all I know.

``He's one of my players, and I'd like to feel that I'm close with all my players. But I had no hint of this and had no conversation about this with him,'' Torre said. ``Obviously, it takes a big chunk out of the bullpen and who we rely on - especially because of the fact that he's a seventh-, eighth-, ninth-inning guy.''

Belisario, who had a 2.04 ERA in 70 2-3 innings as a rookie last season, was arrested in Pasadena, Calif., last June 27 on suspicion of DUI and pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving a month later without appearing in court. The case was resolved in March when he was fined $1,000 on a reduced charge of reckless driving.

But it reportedly created visa problems in his native Venezuela, and Belisario didn't report to spring training until late March - prompting the Dodgers to put him on the restricted list without pay instead of suspending him. He was activated April 21 and has appeared in 35 games this season with a 1-1 record and 3.79 ERA.

``He hasn't been an issue. There's no disciplinary stuff that's gone on. He's been here for us every day,'' Torre said. ``I haven't had a problem with him - aside from a high slider here and there.''

Reliever Carlos Monasterios was reinstated from the disabled list, as scheduled. Fellow rookie Travis Schlichting would have been optioned To Triple-A Albuquerque as a result, but remained on the Dodgers' roster because of Belisario's situation.

``Hopefully, Schlichting can pick up some of that slack,'' Torre said of Belisario's sudden absence. ``It's like an injury. You can't take time to get yourself back on your feet as a team. You've got to do it right now, and that's the way you have to look at it.''

Monasterios had a 3-2 record and 3.88 ERA in 17 appearances before going on the DL June 19 because of a blister on his right index finger.

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