Denver — It might be time for serious concern about the Braves bullpen: Closer Rafael Soriano was placed on the 15-day disabled list with elbow tendinitis.

The move came just before the start of Wednesday night's game at Colorado. The Braves had to make a roster move to create an opening for left-handed pitcher Chuck James to come off the DL to start Wednesday, but this was not what they had in mind.

If Soriano's problematic right elbow wasn't barking, they would not have considered the move. He is the only reliever with closer experience, and now he's out until at least April 22. The move was retroactive to Monday.

"Same little elbow thing," manager Bobby Cox said. "It's getting better, but no sense pushing it this time of the year. We'd like to get him completely well so he can pitch the rest of the season."

Soriano pitched in both weekend games against the New York Mets, including Saturday, when he worked the ninth inning with the Braves ahead 11-5.

In four appearances, the right-hander has a 2.25 ERA with two hits, one run, three walks and five strikeouts in four innings. He converted his only save opportunity when he gave up a run in the ninth inning of Sunday's 3-1 win.

Cox said Tuesday that Soriano's elbow was a "tiny bit" sore, but didn't give any indication that the DL might be necessary.

He decided to rest Soriano for Monday's game — "Not taking any chances," Cox said afterward — and moved rookie Manny Acosta from setup to closer for a night.

Acosta wasn't needed, after Blaine Boyer gave up a two-run homer in the eighth inning of a 2-1 loss. Acosta could be the primary closer with Soriano out.

Soriano missed the first two weeks of spring training games with a sore elbow. The hard-throwing Dominican missed most of the 2004 and 2005 seasons for Seattle after having "Tommy John" ligament-transplant elbow surgery.

The Braves, who got him in a December 2006 trade for Horacio Ramirez, signed Soriano to a two-year, $9.1 million contract in January, avoiding arbitration and buying out his first year of free agency. He'll make $6.1 million in 2009.

Last season, Soriano posted a 3.00 ERA with career-highs of 72 strikeouts, 71 appearances and 70 innings, and converted nine of 12 save chances.

Hard-working bullpen duo

Peter Moylan and Will Ohman led the National League with six relief appearances apiece before Wednesday, even after neither pitched Wednesday in the eighth game of the season.

That made it the first game in which neither pitched. In six of the first seven games both pitched.

Cox has relied heavily on his most reliable bullpen arms: Before Wednesday, the only Braves relievers with ERAs under 4.50 were Soriano, Moylan (2.25) and Ohman, who had allowed no runs in 32/3 innings.

Told that he and his left-handed teammate led the league in appearances, the heavily tattooed Moylan smiled and said in his Aussie accent, "Sweet."

"We've had situations where six out of [eight] games we've been called on," Ohman said, "and I think that's something we both relish."

At that pace, Moylan and Ohman would finish with 121 appearances. That won't happen, but they could challenge Chris Reitsma's franchise record 84 in 2004.

Moylan, who led major league rookies with 80 appearances in 2007, said he would welcome 80 to 85 appearances. "Perfect," he said. "Doesn't give you a chance to get stale."