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Sprained Knee Lands Bartlett On DL
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Published: July 4, 2008
ST. PETERSBURG - ST. PETERSBURG - The Rays will be without the linchpin of their defensive renaissance at least through the All-Star break.
Shortstop Jason Bartlett went on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a sprained right knee suffered sliding into third base during Wednesday night's seventh-inning rally against the Red Sox.
The Rays will replace him with two players, Ben Zobrist and Reid Brignac, who will be brought up from Durham today. Right-hander Mitch Talbot, who was called up Wednesday to replace Troy Percival on the roster, will be sent back to the Bulls as the Rays plan to go one pitcher short for their remaining games before the break.
"It's tough," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said on a Thursday conference call. "Obviously our defense has been a big part of our success to date, and Jason's right in the middle of that. Injuries are a part of the game, so it doesn't do us much good to cry about it, but it does kind of reflect on the fact that we feel like we have two very capable guys in Ben and Reid below that provide us great depth."
Bartlett was the star of the six-run outburst that swung the Red Sox series finale in the Rays' favor. He led off the inning with a double and eventually scored, then added a two-run single in his second at-bat of the frame to account for the last of the Rays' runs. He was injured on his first trip around the bases as he stole third base.
Bartlett finished the game, but his knee began to swell immediately afterward, and an examination by Rays doctors Thursday confirmed the mild sprain. Friedman said the team expects Bartlett back after the All-Star break; he would be eligible to come off the DL by the Rays' second-half opener against the Blue Jays.
The Rays recalled both Zobrist and Brignac because of concerns about the health of Zobrist's shoulder. He missed 21/2 weeks in early June after spraining it while diving to catch a foul ball in Durham, and though the Rays are fairly confident he's healthy, they wanted to add Brignac just in case.
Brignac, Tampa Bay's second-round pick in the 2004 draft, takes the lone open spot on the 40-man roster and will be in the majors for the first time. Friedman said it will be up to Manager Joe Maddon to determine who gets the bulk of the playing time at shortstop.
The Rays felt comfortable going with 11 pitchers for the short-term so they could have the extra depth in the infield. Friedman said he doesn't expect reliever Al Reyes back until after the All-Star break, so the Rays will go with what they have for now.
"Obviously, if something happens we may have to change course," Friedman said.
Reporter Marc Lancaster can be reached at (813) 259-7227 or mlancaster@tampatrib.com.
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