Rasmus dealing with tight right hamstring
Center fielder exits Monday's game in seventh with nagging injury
TORONTO -- Colby Rasmus continues to be bothered by a sore right hamstring, but doesn't believe he will require a stint on the disabled list.
Rasmus was forced to depart Monday night's game vs. the Angels in the seventh inning because of the injury. Afterwards, manager John Gibbons raised the possibility of putting his starting center fielder on the 15-day DL, but a few minutes later Rasmus was quick to offer a different view.
The 27-year-old dealt with a similar injury to his left leg earlier this season and only needed a few days off. Rasmus hopes his experience will be similar this time around, and that he'll be back in the lineup very soon.
"Not right now," Rasmus said when asked about going on the DL. "It's about the same as last time, on my opposite leg. So right now, it's day to day. The doctor checked it out and there seemed to be no damage to it, just tightened up. I've got some good medicine going through me so hopefully it'll be good tomorrow."
Rasmus originally sustained a left hamstring injury during a game against the Orioles on April 13. He didn't return to the lineup until April 17, but thanks to a team off-day and a postponed game in Minnesota, Rasmus only had to miss one game.
The issue recently popped up in his right leg as well. Gibbons gave him the day off on Saturday in part because left-hander Tyler Skaggs was on the mound, but also because it allowed Rasmus to rest his hamstring. That got Rasmus through, but only until Monday night when he left with the Blue Jays up 3-2 in the seventh.
"It's pretty similar, it's pretty much the same spot on the opposite leg," Rasmus said when comparing his right leg to the injury he suffered in April. "I'm hoping that it shouldn't take long. It's just tight. Get some good medicine in me, get some good sleep, stay hydrated and hopefully I'll be good to go."
In 37 games, Rasmus is hitting .222 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs. He had a season-high nine-game hitting streak snapped (.343, 12-for-35) on Sunday.
Third baseman Juan Francisco replaced Rasmus in the seventh inning, which prompted Brett Lawrie to move to second base. Steve Tolleson moved from second to right field, and Jose Bautista went to center.