Dodgers activate Joc Pederson, recall Luis Avilan, place Casey Fien on DL

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers recalled center fielder Joc Pederson from the disabled list before their series opener against the Nationals on Tuesday after he missed 15 games with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder.

The club placed reliever Casey Fien on the 15-day disabled list with elbow tendonitis to make room for Pederson. The DL move is retroactive to Sunday. In addition, the Dodgers recalled reliever Luis Avilan from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take the spot vacated by Hyun-jin Ryu, also placed on the DL on Tuesday.

Pederson played three minor league rehab games over the weekend with Oklahoma City while in Reno, going 5-for-8 with four walks, playing a total of 19 innings in center field.

He injured his right shoulder making a game-saving catch in the eighth inning against the Brewers in Milwaukee on June 28.

During his absence, Dodgers center fielders are 12-for-60 (.200) with two home runs, three doubles (.350 slugging percentage), four walks (.273 on-base percentage) and 18 strikeouts in 15 games. Trayce Thompson started 10 of those games but has since been placed on the disabled list with a bad back, while the other starters in center include the rookie Andrew Toles three times, and the first starts at the position since 2014 for both Scott Van Slyke and Yasiel Puig.

Fien was claimed off waivers from the Twins on May 7, and put up a 4.09 ERA in 21 appearances with the Dodgers, with 19 strikeouts and five walks in 22 innings. He has allowed seven home runs, including four in his last six games, with six runs allowed during that span.

Combined with his opening month of the season with Minnesota, Fien's 12 home runs allowed are tied with Carlos Villanueva of the Padres for the most by any relief pitcher in baseball in 2016.

Avilan has been with the Dodgers for three major league stints so far in 2016, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks in three innings in his six games, with four strikeouts.