Angels place Sean Burnett on disabled list

The Los Angeles Angels placed reliever Sean Burnett on the disabled list Monday due to left forearm irritation that had reportedly been bothering him for several weeks. To replace him, the Angels activated Tommy Hanson from the bereavement list.

Burnett says his arm feels fine if he allows it to rest for a few days, reports MLB.com. Burnett had Tommy John surgery on the same arm back in 2004, but a clean MRI alleviated any fears of past injuries recurring. He believes the injury may be an effect from an offseason surgery to remove a couple of bone spurs from his elbow.

After two excellent years and one mediocre year with the Washington Nationals, the left hander is in his first year with the Angels after signing as a free agent. He is in the midst of a great season, with just one run allowed in 11 games. His walk rate is slightly above his career norm, but he has yet to let a runner already on base score. His lone earned run came on a homer from Yoenis Cespedes.

The Angels' disabled list continues to grow. In particular, Los Angeles has not had the best luck at keeping their relievers healthy. Burnett is the fourth reliever on the DL, joining Mark Lowe, Kevin Jepsen and Ryan Madson. The team also lost Garrett Richards from the bullpen as he moved to the starting rotation to help replace Jered Weaver, who is also on the disabled list.

Hanson will rejoin the Angels' rotation. Michael Roth will move from the rotation back to the bullpen to accommodate the roster moves.