CINCINNATI — Right-hander David Weathers went on the 15-day disabled list today with a sore arm, forcing the Cincinnati Reds to shuffle the back of their bullpen.

Weathers got a burning sensation near his right elbow when he threw a pitch Saturday during a 5-3, 10-inning loss to Milwaukee. The 38-year-old reliever left the game immediately as a precaution. Tests found no serious injury.

Doctors said he has an irritated nerve in the elbow.

The move opens the way for the Reds to activate right-hander Matt Belisle from the disabled list to start on Monday night against the Dodgers. Belisle replaces right-hander Josh Fogg, who was moved into the bullpen after he struggled in three starts.

Weathers was the Reds' most durable reliever last season, when he saved a career-high 33 games and threw 77 2-3 innings. He became the oldest pitcher in major league history to reach 30 saves for the first time.

Eleven of his saves involved pitching more than one inning. Only Seattle's J.J. Putz had more one-inning-plus saves.

"He's been used a lot," manager Dusty Baker said. "The guy's been on the DL one time in all those years. That's pretty good durability."

Weathers hadn't been on the disabled list since 2000, when he had a strained muscle in his side. His only other significant injury involved a cut on his pitching hand in 1995.

When the Reds signed closer Francisco Cordero to a four-year, $46 million deal in the offseason, Weathers became the primary set-up man. Right-hander Jared Burton can assume a bigger role while Weathers is gone.

The Reds had lost seven of eight heading into their game Sunday against Milwaukee. Baker thought it best to put Weathers on the disabled list and let him fully recover even if it left the struggling Reds without their set-up man for two weeks.

"We've got five months to go," Baker said. "We can't let the way we're going affect our decision."