Salmon Is on Disabled List

Angel center fielder Garret Anderson got some company on the 15-day disabled list Saturday when designated hitter Tim Salmon was deactivated because of irritation in his left knee.

But unlike Salmon, who has a clear picture of why he is sidelined, doctors still can’t pinpoint the source of the stiffness and pain in Anderson’s upper back, neck and shoulders.

Two days of extensive diagnostic tests with a team physician and a back specialist came back normal, and Anderson, who is eligible to be activated Friday but probably will need an additional week or so before he is ready to return, will continue to receive treatment.

“It’s obviously good news when you rule out anything serious, and they ruled out some heavy stuff, anything life-threatening,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Now, they need to alleviate the symptoms and get this thing under control.”

Scioscia said doctors ruled out such possibilities as a nerve disorder, damage to the central nervous system, a vascular problem or structural damage to the spine.

“There are some ideas -- it could have something to do with his posture causing some muscle fatigue,” Scioscia said. Angel trainer Ned Bergert and physical therapist Brian Scherr “are talking to the doctors to determine the best course of action to get him back into the lineup.”

Though the medical reports on Anderson provided a degree of relief, there is still some concern about the health of a cleanup hitter who signed a four-year, $48-million contract extension April 13 and sat out two weeks of spring training because of right biceps tendinitis.

“In my mind, it creates some anxiety,” Scioscia said. “The fact that we know something is keeping him out of the lineup, but we’re not able to pinpoint it ... could make you wonder.”

Added General Manager Bill Stoneman: “The relief is they haven’t found anything that’s really problematic. But it would be nice to know what’s bugging him.”

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By placing Salmon on the disabled list, the Angels hope to give the struggling designated hitter ample time to recover from the inflammation that has made it difficult to pivot on his front leg when he is swinging and has contributed to his .188 average.

With Aaron Sele moving from the bullpen to the rotation Saturday night and Kelvim Escobar’s next start in question because of a split fingernail, the Angels replaced Salmon on the roster with right-hander Matt Hensley, giving them 12 pitchers.

But Hensley, who had an 0.59 earned-run average in 15 1/3 relief innings at triple-A Salt Lake, may not be in the big leagues for long.

“We’ll go with an extra pitcher until the situation stabilizes,” Scioscia said. “With Aaron in the rotation and Escobar not ready, there’s going to be a need for some innings. Hopefully, in short order, we’ll look to get a bat up here.”

To make room for Hensley on the 40-man roster, the Angels designated left-hander Yoshitaka Mizuo, who was 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in three games at Salt Lake. If the Angels don’t trade Mizuo or release him in the next 10 days, the reliever will have to clear waivers before he returns to Salt Lake.

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Reliever Ben Weber (sore left shin) and catcher Jose Molina (circulation problem in a finger) each had an MRI test Saturday, neither of which revealed any significant problems. Scioscia said Weber was available to pitch and Molina played against Minnesota.... Shortstop David Eckstein continued to make progress in his recovery from a right groin strain and hopes to start Monday night against Detroit.