Yesterday was a banner day for Josh Beckett, as the veteran pitcher tossed his first career no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Unfortunately, there was a casualty from the postgame celebration. A.J. Ellis suffered a sprained ankle when he jumped and landed on the mask of fellow catcher Drew Butera.
“My right foot landed right on top of it and rolled it pretty good,” Ellis said via ESPNLA. “I knew right away that it was more significant than other ankle rolls I’ve had in the past. I’m beyond frustrated.”
As a result, the Dodgers placed Ellis on the 15-day disabled list prior to Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Ellis can’t seem to catch many breaks this season. He missed most of April and the beginning of May recovering from surgery on his left knee. And when Ellis has been in the lineup, he’s managed just a .170 batting average.
Miguel Olivo, who has plenty of major league experience behind the plate, would have been a candidate to fill Ellis’ void, but he bit the the ear of a teammate during a fight and was subsequently released by the Dodgers.
