Rays place Moore on 15-day disabled list

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays placed left-hander Matt Moore on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday because of a sore muscle in his left elbow.

Moore felt discomfort in the area while throwing a changeup during the second inning of his outing Sunday at Yankee Stadium. He remained in the game through the fifth inning, relying primarily on his fastball and curveball.

The move is retroactive to Monday, and with it, the club recalled infielder Ryan Roberts from Triple-A Durham.

An MRI exam revealed no structural damage, and those inside the organization are hopeful that Moore will return to the rotation by Aug. 13, when the Rays return from a five-game West Coast road trip. Manager Joe Maddon said Moore's injury would not require a rehab assignment.

Moore did not notify trainers of the injury until he was removed from the game, an eventual no-decision and Moore's first winless outing since June 14. Maddon said he would have liked to know about it sooner but that it was unfamiliar territory for Moore, as it was his first trip to the DL.

"You're still bulletproof until you hurt your arm for the very first time," Maddon said. "Then it's a different world. Next time something comes around, I'm sure he's going to be a little more telling in regard to what's going on, but I know everything is fine. We backed off in time."

Moore and Maddon express similar feelings that the injury is not serious, and Moore would not have been sent to the DL if the Rays were locked in a pennant race near season's end. Executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the organization was being "overly cautious" with the situation.

"This is the best decision for us going forward," Moore said. "If this was the playoffs, I could do it without a doubt. With the schedule and how well everyone is throwing the ball, there's really not a reason for us to push things right now."

Although Moore will leave the starting rotation, he will not require a replacement. The Rays have five off days in August and will stick with a four-man rotation for now. Alex Cobb, who has been on the DL since June 15, is also making his way back from being hit in the head with a line drive. Maddon said "in a perfect world" both Cobb and Moore would be healthy by the time the team returns home in mid-August.

Moore tested the elbow upon arriving at Tropicana Field on Wednesday and felt fine throwing at 45 and 60 feet but felt discomfort at 75 feet. He was originally slated to pitch Saturday against the Giants.

Moore is 14-3 in his second full season with a 3.41 ERA and was named to his first All-Star Game in July.