LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers on Saturday placed catcher Yasmani Grandal on the seven-day concussion disabled list, one night after he took two blows to the head while behind the plate and left Friday night's game against the Padres early.
The Dodgers recalled Austin Barnes from Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was hitting .290/.390/.430 with five doubles, three home runs and 14 walks in 29 games. Barnes has thrown out nine of 23 runners attempting to steal (39.1 percent) this season.
Grandal was hit by the back swing of Yangervis Solarte in the third inning, then hit in the mask by a foul ball from Mat Kemp in the fourth. Grandal batted in the fourth inning, flying out to center field, then left the game after the inning. He was diagnosed with a mild concussion.
"They tested him this morning. We feel like he has a mild concussion," manager Don Mattingly said. "Stan [Conte, team trainer] described it as a tweener, feels like within a couple days he'd be totally fine and ready. But we erred on the side of caution, making sure they take care of him."
Grandal was hitting .291/.403/.466, including .400/.492/.660 in May. He started 30 of the first 41 games behind the plate.
A.J. Ellis starts at catcher on Saturday night, a start that was planned before Grandal's injury, Mattingly said on Friday.
Barnes, who was acquired from the Marlins in December in the Dee Gordon trade, will be making his major league debut when he plays. That could come as early as Sunday, as the Dodgers have generally avoided starting the same catcher in a day game after a night game.
"A.J. is the next guy in line. Austin's a guy we have confidence in. We saw him in spring training. He'll play, too," Mattingly said. "We try not to do the night-day with any of the [catchers]."
In eight instances of a day game following a night game this season, the Dodgers have used different catchers in both games seven times. Grandal caught both games on April 25-26, a few days after Ellis took a ball directly off his throwing hand.