Dodgers place Carl Crawford on DL, Stephen Fife to start Monday

All the excitement was over the major league debut of 6-foot-3, 245-pound Yasiel Puig, but the Dodgers had plenty of other news to discuss before Monday’s game.

• Outfielder Carl Crawford was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. The move is retroactive to Sunday and gives the Dodgers two starting outfielders (Matt Kemp is the other) on the DL with hamstring issues.

“At first we thought he would only be out a few days, but after an MRI today it looks more like weeks,” Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said of Crawford, who becomes the 14th Dodger to go on the disabled list this season, and their 17th DL move overall.

• Crawford’s spot on the roster was taken by right-hander Stephen Fife, who was immediately tabbed to start Monday’s game in place of left-hander Chris Capuano.

Capuano was skipped because he has a sore left triceps, suffered in his last start when he fell off the mound while reaching for a grounder. Mattingly said he thought Capuano would miss only one appearance and was tentatively scheduled to start Saturday.

Capuano has already been on the disabled list once with a strained calf. In five starts since he returned, he’s gone 1-4 with a 4.76 ERA. He was scheduled for an MRI test Monday.

Fife had been on the DL with shoulder bursitis since April 22. In his only previous start this season, he had no decision April 21 in Baltimore, allowing four runs in 4 1/3 innings.

• Hyun-Jin Ryu, who missed his turn in the rotation Sunday because of a sore left foot, threw off the mound before Monday’s game and pronounced himself much improved.

“He felt good enough,” Mattingly said. “If everything continues to go good he’s going to pitch Friday.”

• Left-handed reliever Scott Elbert and his beleaguered elbow just can’t seem to get it right, and he has been shut down again.

Elbert finally had been close to returning after seemingly cruising through his rehab. But when he attempted to pitch on consecutive days, the elbow – twice operated on this year – flared up once more.

“Scotty’s been shut down,” Mattingly said. “For how long, I don’t know.”

Elbert is scheduled to meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Tuesday.

• Shortstop Hanley Ramirez (another strained hamstring) is expected to make his final rehab appearance Monday for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and then rejoin the Dodgers.

“I’m hoping tomorrow,” Mattingly said.

Which, naturally would mean one more roster move. Kemp, Ryu, Crawford, Capuano and A.J. Ellis (oblique) -- it’s been a busy few days.

“It’s a lot of stuff for 72 hours,” Mattingly said.