Dodgers’ Jerry Hairston Jr. goes on disabled list

PITTSBURGH — Veteran utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. was put on the 15-day disabled list Monday because of a sore left hip.

Elian Herrera, who was called up from triple-A Albuquerque in mid-May and appeared in 51 games with the Dodgers, again joined the big league club in Hairston’s place.

Hairston, 36, was sent to Los Angeles for tests and treatment after telling Manager Don Mattingly and the Dodgers’ training staff that his hip problem had worsened, Mattingly said.

After Hairston was removed from Saturday’s game in Miami because of tightness in the hip and was out of the lineup again Sunday, the Dodgers initially thought his problem might keep him sidelined only a couple of days.

But “it’s been bothering him like three months; that’s what he told me today,” Mattingly said of the sore hip, adding that the tests might include an arthrogram, in which X-ray images are taken with the help of a dye to evaluate the injury.

Hairston was texting head trainer Sue Falsone “in the middle of the night,” Mattingly said, and “as soon as I woke up today I got a text from Jerry. I guess the thing really bothered him last night.”

Mattingly called Hairston’s injury a significant loss, saying, “Jerry’s the guy that gives me that versatility of all over the field.”

Hairston had made starts at second base, third base and left field. He appeared in 78 games overall and was batting .273 with four home runs and 26 runs batted in.

Herrera, 27, got off to a fast start in his last stint with the Dodgers but then tailed off. Overall he batted .243 with 10 doubles and 16 RBIs.

Puig to single A

Cuban outfield prospect Yasiel Puig is moving up to the Class-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes from the rookie Arizona League, a person familiar with the matter said Monday.

Puig, 21, signed a $42-million, seven-year contract with the Dodgers in late June. The Dodgers declined to comment on Puig’s status.

Puig played in nine games in the Arizona League and batted .400 (12 for 30) with four home runs, three triples, six walks, seven strikeouts and 11 RBIs.

Short hops

Second baseman Mark Ellis, who had only three errors all of last season, made two in Monday’s game against the Pirates.... Relief pitcher Scott Elbert, who turned 27 on Monday, left for double-A Chattanooga (Tenn.) as part of his rehabilitation for a sore elbow that has kept him on the disabled list since July 27. He’s expected to throw Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Mattingly said.... Two other pitchers on the disabled list, Ted Lilly and Matt Guerrier, were scheduled to throw simulated games Tuesday, Mattingly said.... The Pirates said 14-game winner A.J. Burnett would start Thursday in the last game of the series against the Dodgers. James McDonald, who had been the scheduled Thursday starter, will pitch Friday.

james.peltz@latimes.com