Right oblique strain forces Loney to disabled list

ST. PETERSBURG -- The list of the Rays' walking wounded grew on Wednesday when first baseman James Loney was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a mild right oblique strain.

"It's minor, but it's one of those things you don't want him to try to get treatment for a day or two then try and play through and it becomes severe," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "So we'll take these next 15 days and hopefully get him healthy."

The Rays selected first baseman Allan Dykstra from Triple-A Durham to take Loney's place.

To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Burch Smith was recalled and placed on the 60-day disabled list. Smith underwent successful Tommy John surgery on Tuesday in Pensacola, Fla.

Loney has not been on the DL during his Major League career, though he remembered being on the DL with a broken finger while in the Minor Leagues.

"We're just going to do some stuff," Loney said. "Work on it. Keep it heated a lot. Let it heal."

Loney and Smith bring the Rays to eight players on the Major League DL, six of which have come on injuries that surfaced after games began during Spring Training.

The Rays, A's and Rangers each have eight players on the DL, most in the Major Leagues.

Designated hitter John Jaso is day-to-day with a left wrist contusion, which he sustained in the first inning on Opening Day, when he slid headfirst into second base.

Dykstra was in the Rays' lineup at first base and hitting eighth Wednesday night. He was with the team during Spring Training and played 30 innings. The highlight of his spring came when he hit a walk-off, two-run homer on March 21 against the Twins.

Video: MIN@TB: Dykstra hits a two-run, walk-off homer

"[Dykstra brings] a little bit of power," Rays hitting coach Derek Shelton said. "Controls the strike zone extremely well. He's hit at every level of the Minor Leagues."

Dykstra looks the part of a slugger, standing 6-foot-5, 215 pounds.

"He's a big man," Shelton said.