Weeks placed on disabled list in advance of MRI

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Brewers placed second baseman Rickie Weeks on the 15-day disabled list Thursday after sending him back to Milwaukee for an MRI scan of what appears to be a seriously strained left hamstring.

Weeks, injured while running to first base in the eighth inning on Wednesday night, was to be examined by Brewers head physician William Raasch. The early word from the athletic training staff was not promising, according to manager Ron Roenicke.

"He pulled it pretty good," Roenicke said.

Said Weeks: "It's sore. I have no expectations."

Jeff Bianchi was at second base for Thursday's afternoon series finale at AT&T Park while Brewers officials debated potential roster moves. After a 4-1 loss to the Giants, they recalled second baseman Scooter Gennett from Triple-A Nashville.

Gennett was just optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday. Players have to spend 10 days in the Minors before they are eligible to return, except if they directly replace a disabled teammate.

"We needed a second baseman, somebody who could go out there and play every day," Roenicke said. "Not just that -- if we don't bring up Scooter, you've got an infield that you can't do anything with. Like today, we couldn't do anything, couldn't pinch-hit for any of them, because there were no other options."

Weeks became the fourth Brewer in the past 2 1/2 months to hit the DL with a hamstring injury. Closer Jim Henderson (right hamstring) was sidelined in late May and early June, starter Marco Estrada (left hamstring) returned Wednesday from a two-month absence, and another starter, Yovani Gallardo (left hamstring), is currently on the DL. Wily Peralta also exited a game in Washington last month with a strained left hamstring, but was able to make his subsequent start after a few extra days of rest.

The spate of hamstring issues has puzzled a Brewers athletic training staff that prioritizes injury prevention and has been honored in recent years for those efforts.

"All injuries are a concern with them, but the same ones, especially being a muscle, that's what they're concerned about," Roenicke said. "Some things -- a guy runs into a wall and breaks his hand, or he gets hit by a foul ball and breaks a hand -- you can't do anything about those. But hamstrings, quads, obliques, those are the things you hope with training that you can limit those. You're going to have some of those, but we've had a lot."

Gennett, a 23-year-old left-handed hitter, was 3-for-10 in his most recent stint in the Majors and is batting .231 in 22 games with the Brewers this season.