ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Tampa Bay Rays placed first baseman Ji-Man Choi on the 10-day injured list Friday because of a left groin strain.
Tampa Bay made the move before the opener of a three-game series in Texas. It was retroactive to Thursday, when Choi was held out of the lineup against the Yankees despite being 8 for 12 with three homers in his career against New York ace Gerrit Cole.
Choi had played only 15 games since missing the first six weeks of the season when recovering from arthroscopic right knee surgery.
Left-hander Ryan Sherriff was recalled from Triple-A Durham for his second stint this season with the Rays.
Manager Kevin Cash is hopeful that this won't be another extended absence for Choi, who hit .304 with two homers, 11 RBI and 11 walks since his season debut May 16.
"Just like with any soft tissue issue, groins they can be tricky. But from what the doctor's report was, it looks like something we got ahead of it, we can manage it and get him back as soon as possible," Cash said. "I don't have an exact date, if it's a minimum stint. We'll be thrilled if it's between that 10 and 15-day mark, but we just got to see how these first couple days go."
Yandy Diaz started at first base in the opener against the Rangers, the first game at Globe Life Field for the defending American League champion Rays since the neutral site World Series last October when they lost in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.