Athletics Put Dotel on the DL

The Oakland Athletics put closer Octavio Dotel, who has a strained right elbow, on the 15-day disabled list Friday. The move is retroactive to Tuesday.

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 four blown saves for Dotel were tied for the major league lead. He is 1-2 with seven saves and a 3.52 earned-run average and has walked 11 batters in 15 1/3 innings.

Rookie Huston Street is expected to take over the closing duties while Dotel is sidelined. Street is 1-1 with a 2.01 ERA in 22 1/3 innings this season.

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The Philadelphia Phillies activated center fielder Kenny Lofton from the 15-day disabled list and designated utility infielder Jose Offerman for assignment to clear room on the roster.

Lofton, out since April 30 because of a right hamstring strain, was batting .373 with four runs batted in.

Offerman, a former Dodger, made the club out of spring training after being signed as a minor league free agent on Jan. 19, but he batted only .182 (six for 33) with one homer and three RBIs.

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The San Francisco Giants transferred Barry Bonds to the 60-day disabled list to free up a roster spot.

Bonds, who has undergone three arthroscopic surgeries on his right knee since Jan. 31, is eligible to return on June 2 but isn’t expected back before the All-Star break.

He has had repeated setbacks with his knee, including an infection that required additional surgery and treatment with antibiotics.

The Giants also put outfielder Marquis Grissom, who has a bruised right knee, on the 15-day disabled list. The club purchased the contract of infielder Brian Dallimore from triple-A Fresno.

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Toronto Blue Jay third baseman Corey Koskie will undergo surgery on his broken right thumb Wednesday and is expected to be sidelined at least a month.

Koskie was hurt Thursday during the Blue Jays’ 4-0 loss at Minnesota while sliding into second base in the second inning. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays, which revealed the fracture.

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The Cincinnati Reds designated second baseman D’Angelo Jimenez for assignment. Jimenez agreed to a one-year, $2.87-million contract in the off-season, but batted only .229 with five RBIs in 35 games.