Paco Rodriguez on DL with elbow strain

ST. LOUIS -- The Los Angeles Dodgers placed left-handed reliever Paco Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained pitching elbow.

Rodriguez has been feeling some discomfort for several days, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said, and will travel back to Los Angeles to consult with team physician Neal ElAttrache.

Rodriguez said he expects to learn how severe the injury is early next week after an MRI.

"You prepare for the worst, but you don't want to hear it at the end of the day," he said.

The Dodgers noticed a drop in Rodriguez's velocity, and he said he was having trouble finishing his pitches.

"We're hoping we're catching something on the front end and hoping it's not a long-term thing," Mattingly said.

Rodriguez was one of three left-handers in the Dodgers' bullpen and was typically used as a specialist against left-handed batters. He has a 2.61 ERA in 18 appearances this season.

The Dodgers' DL is getting crowded. Relievers Joel Peralta and Brandon League are also sidelined, as are outfielders Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford. Starting pitchers Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu are out for the season after undergoing surgery.

Los Angeles recalled Matt West from Triple-A Oklahoma City. West, 26, was 1-1 with a save and a 1.46 ERA in Double-A this season. A former second-round pick of the Texas Rangers, West tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs when he was 18.