Getz sent to DL, prompting lineup changes
MINNEAPOLIS -- Faced with a roster crunch, the Royals decided to put second baseman Chris Getz on the 15-day disabled list shortly before Thursday's game against the Twins.
Getz has a left knee sprain, the result of a couple of recent incidents, the latest coming on Saturday when Adam Dunn of the White Sox slid into him at second base. Getz's stay on the disabled list will be backdated to Sunday.
He and center fielder Lorenzo Cain, who is bothered by groin stiffness, were DL possibilities when the Royals obtained outfielder Justin Maxwell in Wednesday's trade with the Astros. But Cain's condition improved faster, so Getz was out.
"He's getting better, but it's still there a little bit. There's still stiffness there," manager Ned Yost said about Getz. "Cain went out and passed all his tests with flying colors, so we changed the lineup and put him in it."
Maxwell originally was in center field in Thursday's lineup, but with Cain cleared, Maxwell was moved to right field and David Lough was dropped from the lineup. That gave the Royals two right-handed bats in the outfield against Twins lefty Scott Diamond.
Cain and Maxwell made their presence felt in the 7-2 win -- Cain made a spectacular catch to rob what would have been a two-run homer and walked three times and scored twice, while Maxwell had an RBI single in his first Royals at-bat.
"I was thinking about maybe sending a pitcher down, but going into a National League series I can't really do that," Yost said. "Getz still feels it a little bit. He's not 100 percent, and it gives him a chance to take a couple more days off and get some more [Minor League] ABs."
The Royals have an Interleague Series this weekend against the Mets in New York.
Getz will join Triple-A Omaha in Tacoma, Wash., on an injury rehabilitation assignment and play some games with the Storm Chasers, who are without second baseman Johnny Giavotella, out with a hip ailment.
Miguel Tejada was back in the Royals' lineup at second base on Thursday with Elliot Johnson available as a backup. Tejada singled and had an RBI groundout.