Major League Baseball

Dodgers put reliever Kuo on 15-day DL

Published May. 12, 2011 4:42 a.m. ET

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed reliever Hong-Chih Kuo on the 15-day disabled list due to an anxiety disorder.

Manager Don Mattingly said the veteran left-hander told him following a dismal performance against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday his confidence was shaken.

''He couldn't put the ball where he needed to,'' Mattingly said after a 2-0 win over the Pirates on Wednesday. ''That's pretty much what he said. I listened to him, and I have so much respect for him, after all he's been through. It's just one of those things.''

Kuo was expected to return to Los Angeles late Wednesday night. He will undergo a series of tests in the coming days.

The 29-year-old was an All-Star in 2010, but has struggled with his form this spring. Kuo has an 11.57 ERA in nine appearances and has struggled since missing more than two weeks in April because of a lower back strain. He gave up a run on two hits without retiring a batter in a 4-1 loss to the Pirates on Monday.

Mattingly anticipates Kuo will pitch again and credited him for his toughness. The setup man's left elbow has been operated on four times during his seven-season major league career.

''It's heartbreaking, but I just don't know where it goes from here,'' Mattingly said. ''At this point, it's a medical decision.''

The Dodgers recalled left-hander Scott Elbert, their 2004 first-round draft pick, from Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday to take the roster spot.

Los Angeles pitcher Hiroki Kuroda said he was ''concerned'' about his teammate and acknowledged undergoing a crisis of confidence as a younger player.

''I've been through something similar in the past like that in high school and in college,'' Kuroda said. ''I tried everything. I talked to a lot of people, but it really depends on the player. ... At this point, we just have to play with what he have, and just pray that he comes back real soon.''

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