ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays placed designated hitter Luke Scott on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to Aug. 15) with lower back spasms Saturday. They also activated reliever Brandon Gomes (right lat strain) from the 60-day DL and moved reliever Jesse Crain (right shoulder strain) from the 15- to the 60-day DL.
"It's a little bit better today, but even in sitting down, I could tell it was still bothering him," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Scott. "We just did not want to play short-handed. More than likely, it's going to take several more days."
Scott, 35, has played twice since last Sunday, going a combined 1 for 5 with two strikeouts against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 13-14. He has hit .249 with nine home runs and 39 RBI this season.
Maddon said he expected Scott's DL stay to be "minimal." Wil Myers was slotted as the DH on Saturday before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field.
Meanwhile, outfielder Desmond Jennings, on the disabled list with a fractured left middle finger since Aug. 6 (retroactive to Aug. 4), will play for Class A Charlotte on Sunday. If no setbacks occur, Maddon said, Jennings will join Tampa Bay on Monday before the Rays begin a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
"He's going to go and play in Port Charlotte tomorrow and get some at-bats," Maddon said.
"I'm believing that's going to go well, and if it does, you're going to see him in Baltimore."
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