SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners placed shortstop Jean Segura on the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday with a strained right hamstring.
Seattle was hoping to avoid the DL stint for Segura, but manager Scott Servais said it was the better decision to give his starting shortstop a few extra days to recover and not play short-handed in the interim.
"It's a mild strain. I really thought yesterday that he's just going to miss a couple of days," Servais said. "Trying to be very cautious and be out ahead of this thing, the way the rules are now and the 10-day DL it just makes more sense to put him on the DL. I fully expect he'll be back and ready to go at the end of 10 days."
Segura left Monday's home opener -- a 6-0 win for the Mariners -- after the third inning. He appeared to aggravate the injury diving into first base trying to avoid a double play, but Servais said the injury happened earlier in the game. Seattle was already thin with position players while carrying an extra pitcher in the bullpen.
Segura is Seattle's only regular batting above .300 through the first full week of the regular season. He is hitting .313 with 10 hits and six runs scored. Servais said Taylor Motter will get the bulk of the playing time at shortstop with Segura out.
The Mariners selected infielder Mike Freeman from Triple-A Tacoma to take Segura's spot and designated for assignment left-handed pitcher Paul Fry to clear room on the 40-man roster. Freeman was removed from the 40-man roster during spring training when pitcher Chase De Jong was acquired from the Dodgers.