Howie Kendrick placed on DL with hamstring strain, Dodgers recall Jose Peraza

The reeling Dodgers took another blow on Monday, placing second baseman Howie Kendrick on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain, suffered on Sunday night in Pittsburgh. To take his place on the roster, infielder Jose Peraza was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Kendrick pulled up lame after hitting first base in his infield single in the fifth inning against the Pirates on Sunday night, and immediately left the game. This is the first trip to the disabled list for Kendrick since missing a month with a sprained left knee in August 2013 with the Angels.

The Dodgers still don't have MRI results back for Kendrick, but knew the injury was severe enough to sideline him for at least two weeks.

"We know it's bad enough to DL him. It's a hamstring, we just don't know how severe," manager Don Mattingly said. "It's not going to be a couple days. It will be a couple of weeks."

Kendrick has played in 105 of 111 games this season, starting 102, hitting .296/.341/.418 with 20 doubles and nine home runs. He was hitting .396/.420/.583 in his last 11 games, including five consecutive multi-hit games through Sunday.

Peraza, 21, was acquired from the Braves in the three-team, 13-player trade on July 30. In 10 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City he hit .385/.415/.590 with three doubles, a triple and a home run. Peraza, who stole 64 bases in 2013 and 60 in 2014, has 27 steals in 2015, including one steal in his only attempt with OKC.

He made six starts at second base, two at shortstop and two more in center field.

"He plays second, he plays short, he plays center, but he's mostly played second the last couple of years. So we're going to try to keep him as comfortable as possible," Mattingly said. "He is a guy like Kiké who can play all over."

Peraza was rated the 30th-best prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, one of four Dodgers in the top 30 in rankings revealed on Sunday night.

Peraza will wear No. 18.

Kike Hernandez starts in center field on Monday night, with Peraza at second base. Mattingly said with Kendrick out Hernandez will receive the bulk of playing time, though not just at second base.

"Kiké for us gets first shot. We'll still use Kiké the way we've been using him," Mattingly said. "There's going to be days when those guys don't need days off, and that's when you'll see Kiké at second."

Counting Monday, Hernandez has started 10 times at shortstop, eight times in center field, seven times at second base, five times in left field, and once in right.

"Howie is a big loss for us," Mattingly said. "But we have some guys who are capable who will get opportunities, and we look forward to it."