New York Mets: Pitcher Al Leiter was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday by the Mets because of an inflamed right knee.

The move is retroactive to June 30.

The left-hander, who is 8-5 with a 5.57 ERA, missed a scheduled start Saturday against Cincinnati. Manager Art Howe expects Leiter to return shortly after the All-Star break.

To take Leiter's spot on the roster, the Mets recalled right-handed reliever Edwin Almonte from Triple-A Norfolk. Almonte was acquired from Chicago in a trade last week that sent second baseman Robert Alomar to the White Sox.

He made his major league debut in the Mets' 7-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Monday night, giving up one run in two innings of relief. After the game, Almonte was optioned back to Norfolk.

The Mets also recalled right-hander Jason Roach from Norfolk. Roach is expected to start Tuesday against Atlanta.

Milwaukee Brewers: Brewers center fielder Scott Podsednik left Monday night's game against Pittsburgh after getting cut under his right eye during a collision at home plate with catcher Jason Kendall.

The collision occurred during a close play in the first inning, and Podsednik walked off the field without any help, blood streaming from under his eye.

Brewers spokesman John Greenberg said six stitches were needed to close the cut, and Podsednik is day to day.

Podsednik, hitting .325, singled with one out, and scored from first on a double by Geoff Jenkins. Kendall took a throw from shortstop Jack Wilson and Podsednik's face collided hard with the catcher's shin guards. Umpire Bruce Froemming called him safe on the play.

Brady Clark replaced Podsednik in center.

Anaheim Angels: Shortstop David Eckstein is listed day-to-day with a sore right arm, and outfielder Tim Salmon will continue to play despite kidney stones, the Angels said Monday.

Eckstein, hurt when he tripped over left fielder Garret Anderson as both went after a short fly on Sunday at Oakland, has a strained upper trapezoid muscle and a bruised shoulder.

Salmon was re-examined Monday by Dr. Gus Maggio, a urologist, who said the right fielder could keep playing because the pain has dissipated.

Salmon said he had a similar problem about 10 years ago.

Eckstein, who caught Eric Chavez's fly before the collision with Anderson, had his right arm in a sling after the game. The Athletics beat the Angels 6-5.

Anaheim was off Monday and is at home against Kansas City on Tuesday.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks activated infielder Craig Counsell on Monday after a two-month stay on the disabled list, and manager Bob Brenly immediately returned him to the starting lineup.

Counsell played shortstop and batted leadoff as Arizona began a two-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

Counsell's flight from Sacramento didn't arrive in Phoenix until about 90 minutes prior to the game, and the delighted crowd roared when his name was announced.

He took the roster spot of catcher Rod Barajas, who was placed on the DL because of tendinitis in his left wrist.

Counsell dislocated his right thumb on May 6 and had surgery to repair ligament damage on May 8. He was one of several injured Arizona players whose absence contributed to the Diamondbacks' slow start this year.

New York Yankees: The Yankees optioned outfielder Juan Rivera to Triple-A Columbus on Monday and recalled infielder Erick Almonte.

Yankees second baseman Alfonso Soriano and shortstop Derek Jeter left Monday's 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox after getting hit on their hands by pitches from Pedro Martinez, so Almonte will provide insurance up the middle for a three-game series at Cleveland that begins Tuesday night.

X-rays on Jeter and Soriano were negative, and both were day to day with bone bruises. Soriano thinks he'll only miss one or two games. Jeter hoped to play Tuesday night.

Rivera was batting .237 with one homer and 11 RBI in 32 games with the Yankees this season. His playing time diminished drastically with the recent acquisitions of outfielders Ruben Sierra, Karim Garcia and Curtis Pride.

Williams doing well in rehab: Center fielder Bernie Williams went 2-for-4, drove in two runs and scored once Monday night in his fourth game of a rehabilitation stint with the Double-A Trenton Thunder.

The Yankees had planned to reactivate Williams, who is recovering from knee surgery, in time for Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Indians.

It was not immediately clear Monday whether his stay with Trenton would be extended. Thunder co-owner Joseph Finley said no decision had been reached by the middle of Monday's game.

Atlanta Braves: Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren will be back on TBS' telecasts of the Atlanta Braves after the All-Star break, ending a 3½-month experiment by the cable network.

The two longtime announcers will join Don Sutton and Joe Simpson in a four-man rotation that was used over the past several seasons. The new pairings start July 17 when Atlanta plays the New York Mets.

Caray and Van Wieren, in their 28th season with the Braves, have been working games on Turner South, a regional cable network in only 6.5 million homes. By comparison, TBS can been seen in 87 million homes.

All four announcers also called games on the radio.

When the change was announced near the end of spring training, the network said it was trying to lure more viewers with a more balanced broadcast.

San Diego Padres: The Padres reinstated shortstop Ramon Vazquez from the 15-day disabled list Monday and optioned infielder Donaldo Mendez to Triple-A Portland.

The Padres also recalled right-handed pitcher Clay Condrey from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Portland. Condrey, 27, was 1-2 with an 8.47 ERA in nine games -- six starts -- with San Diego before going on the DL with a strained left oblique on May 16.

Vazquez, 26, went on the DL on June 8, retroactive to June 1. He missed 33 games with a lower abdominal strain. Vazquez is batting .267 with three homers and 20 RBI.

Mendez, 25, hit .226 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 26 games since replacing Vazquez as the starting shortstop on June 8.