MINNEAPOLIS -- The Angels placed outfielder Daniel Nava on the 15-day disabled list with left patella tendinitis on Saturday before their game with the Twins. The club recalled Rafael Ortega from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Nava's spot on the roster. Ortega is batting second in his debut for the Angels on Saturday.
Nava, who was signed to a one-year, $1.375 million deal last offseason, has been dealing with multiple ailments already this season.
"His knee flared up, and we just need to take a step back," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It flared up in Oakland a little bit, flared up toward the end of Spring Training. We're just going to make sure we get this behind us before he gets back out there."
It's an injury that originated for Nava last season while playing with the Red Sox, so Scioscia isn't sure if two weeks will be sufficient time off for the veteran outfielder.
"It hurts him, more than anything, running," he said, "but it affected his swing yesterday. That's something we need to address. The fact it keeps lingering is something we need to take care of."
Nava is batting .286 (4-for-14) through eight games with one RBI.
Ortega is tearing it up early on for the Bees, hitting .348 with a homer and seven RBIs. He hasn't appeared in a Major League game since 2012, when he picked up two hits in four at-bats for the Colorado Rockies.
"He definitely showed the ability [in Spring Training] to put the ball in play, use all fields," Scioscia said. "He'll get an opportunity right now."