MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins placed pitcher Nick Blackburn on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right forearm and recalled reliever Lester Oliveros from Triple-A Rochester before Monday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Blackburn left his start on Sunday against the Yankees after 1 2-3 innings. He had an MRI on Monday and will meet with a specialist on Tuesday.

Anthony Swarzak will take Blackburn’s spot in the rotation and start on Friday when the Twins play Detroit.

Oliveros was one of two pitchers the Twins acquired in a trade that sent Delmon Young to Detroit on Aug. 16. The right-hander made three appearances in Rochester before getting recalled.

The Twins have used the disabled list 23 times this season and have fallen to fourth in the AL Central after briefly getting back into contention at the All-Star break.

Justin Morneau fouled a ball off his right foot on Saturday and hasn’t played since.

Tsuyoshi Nishioka continues to have pain in his lower-back/oblique area and was not in the starting lineup.

Denard Span is spending a week away from the team to rest and recover from migraine symptoms. Span missed 56 games with a concussion, then briefly returned before having to go back on the DL Aug. 18.

Starting pitcher Scott Baker (right flexor strain) and second-baseman Alexi Casilla (hamstring) will begin workouts on Tuesday.