Major League Baseball

Cubs send Ramirez to 15-day DL

Published Jun. 10, 2010 12:25 a.m. ET

foxsports

Struggling Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday to rest his ailing left thumb in the midst of his season-long slump.

"Right now, I'm not helping the team, I'm not helping myself. I'm going to try to get it 100 percent and try to get back to the way that I was playing,'' Ramirez said. "I tried to play through it. It didn't work. I guess it's time to let it heal now.''

It's the latest blow in a disappointing year for Ramirez, who has hit .168 with five homers and 22 RBIs. Ramirez says he hurt the thumb while swinging in May against Cincinnati and pain and swelling has lingered ever since.

"It's not about a mental break. The only way you can get out of a slump is by playing,'' Ramirez said. "Every time when I swing and I miss, it makes it worse. It doesn't make any sense for me to be playing right now.''

Ramirez said he's confident he doesn't need surgery. He says he talked with the team about going on the disabled list earlier, but was against it.

"It just makes sense to rest it now,'' said Ramirez, who declined to say if he'd return when he's eligible to come off the DL on June 23. "I'm going to take as much time as I need.''

Infielder Chad Tracy was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take Ramirez's place on the roster.