The Oakland Athletics placed closer Octavio Dotel on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a strained right elbow.
Dotel, who blew four saves in five outings from April 30 to May 11, flew to Los Angeles on Wednesday to have his elbow examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels' team physician. The move is retroactive to May 17.
The four blown saves for Dotel were tied for the major league lead heading into the day.
Rookie Huston Street is expected to take over the closing duties while Dotel is sidelined. Street is 1-1 with a 2.01 ERA.
The struggling A's have been hurt this season by injuries. Dotel joins relievers Kiko Calero and Chad Bradford, top starter Rich Harden, last year's rookie of the year Bobby Crosby and rookie outfielder Nick Swisher on the disabled list.
To take Dotel's spot on the roster the A's called up Jermaine Clark from Triple-A Sacramento. Clark, who has played both second base and outfield in his career, was in the majors earlier this month. He appeared in three games and walked in his only plate appearance. Clark was hitting .258 with two home runs and 15 RBI in 25 games with the River Cats.
MORE SUSPENSIONS: Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers Heath Totten and Tom Farmer and Arizona pitcher Chad Scarbery were suspended for 15 games Friday for violating baseball's minor league steroids policy. There have been 66 players penalized under the minor league program and five players suspended under the major league policy.
BOSOX PLACE MIRABELLI ON DL: The Red Sox placed Doug Mirabelli on the 15-day disabled list Friday and called up Shawn Wooten to replace him as backup catcher.
The Red Sox also moved outfielder Adam Stern from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster for Wooten, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Pawtucket.
Mirabelli, who rarely starts unless knuckleballer Tim Wakefield is pitching, was put on the disabled list retroactive to Thursday. He sprained his left wrist while swinging in his last at-bat Wednesday in Boston's 13-6 loss at Oakland. He said he used David Ortiz's bat, which is heavier than his own.
In 13 games, Mirabelli is batting .194 with two homers and six RBIs.