Khalil Greene goes on DL with anxiety

ST. LOUIS — Even when Khalil Greene homered in his first three games after going on the 15-day disabled list with social-anxiety disorder, St. Louis manager Tony La Russa held off celebrating.

"When he had success in Kansas City, that wasn't really the test," La Russa said. "The test is when you struggle and how you handle it."

Greene scuffled the next five games against the Mets and Minnesota, going 1 for 17 with five strikeouts, and the anxiety resurfaced. The Cardinals placed him on the DL for a second time on Monday.

"We just felt it was a move we had to make to get him away from it again," La Russa said.

General manager John Mozeliak said Greene would not be with the team for perhaps two weeks.

"We're just going to give him a little time to figure out what's best," Mozeliak said. "We have to be patient."

The Cardinals purchased the contract of 24-year-old righty Clayton Mortensen from Class AAA Memphis.

Notes

• Ervin Santana could be back in the rotation for the Los Angeles Angels by the weekend. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said the right-hander had no problems during a 45-pitch rehab assignment Sunday night in the Arizona Summer League. "He's excited," Scioscia said Monday before the AL West-leading Angels opened a three-game series in Texas. "He threw all his pitches, no pain, maintained his velocity ... had plenty of fastball. It's positive. We'll see how he comes out of the next couple days and add him to the rotation."

• Texas promoted outfielder Julio Borbon to bolster a short bench, and put him in the lineup for his major-league debut. Right-hander Willie Eyre was optioned to Class AAA Oklahoma City.

• Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran was in Vail, Colo., to have a second opinion on his ailing right knee.

• Milwaukee Brewers prospect Jeremy Jeffress was suspended for 100 games after his third violation of baseball's minor-league program for a drug of abuse.

• Houston placed right-handed pitcher Brandon Backe on waivers.

• Oakland rookie left-hander Josh Outman will have surgery on his pitching elbow today. The Athletics didn't immediately announce the severity of the surgery or a timetable for Outman's return.

• St. Louis called up former Gonzaga pitcher Clayton Mortensen. He allowed five hits and six runs (only two earned) in three innings of relief.

• Texas slugger Josh Hamilton has started his comeback from abdominal surgery. Hamilton went 1 for 4 with a walk for Class AA Frisco.