Dodgers activate A.J. Ellis from DL; Austin Barnes to triple-A

Practice? A.J. Ellis doesn’t need any stinking practice.

The Dodgers activated the catcher from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday morning, eschewing any rehab games and placing him directly on the roster. Austin Barnes, called up from Oklahoma City when Ellis strained his right knee July 19, was returned to triple-A.

Ellis lost his starting job in the off-season after the Dodgers picked up Yasmami Grandal from the Padres. Perhaps not coincidentally, he got off to a horrid offensive start, putting up a .164/.261/.197 slash line in his first 21 games.

But Ellis had turned it around prior to his injury, coming back with a .375/.487/.625 line in his last 12 games.

His knee injury was ruled inflammation and he likely would not have been placed on the DL at all, but in the same game Ellis was injured Grandal had taken a nasty foul ball off the bottom of his catcher’s mask.

The bruise was severe enough the Dodgers at first were concerned he had broken his jaw. Ellis came in the game as his replacement and later injured his knee trying to field a bunt. Uncertain when Grandal could return, they placed Ellis on the DL.

Barnes appeared in four games (three starts) while Ellis was on the disabled list, going three for 10.