ST. LOUIS -- Five days after first feeling stiffness near his right elbow and forearm, Matt Belisle was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday in a move that the Cardinals hope will give the right-handed reliever the necessary time to heal from the injury. Reliever Marcus Hatley had his contract purchased from Triple-A to fill the bullpen vacancy.
Belisle did not pitch in the Cardinals' weekend series against the Cubs, but it wasn't publicly known until Tuesday that his absence had been intentional. About an hour after throwing a scoreless inning in an appearance against the Marlins last Thursday, Belisle began to feel soreness in his arm.