The Tampa Bay Rays placed reliever Craig Kimbrel on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a right wrist strain.
The move is retroactive to Thursday, his 38th birthday.
Kimbrel’s lone appearance with Tampa Bay came against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, during which he struck out a pair of batters in a scoreless inning of relief.
The nine-time All-Star right-hander became a free agent on Monday when he refused a minor league assignment with the New York Mets.
Kimbrel’s record was 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in 14 outings with the Mets. He struck out 15 batters in 15 innings and did not record a save.
Kimbrel ranks fifth all time with 440 career saves. He led the National League in saves in four straight seasons with the Atlanta Braves, starting with his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2011. Overall, he is 56-50 with a 2.64 ERA in 866 career relief appearances.
Also on Sunday, the Rays recalled left-hander Cam Booser and right-hander Trevor Martin from Triple-A Durham and designated right-hander Andrew Wantz for assignment.
Booser, 34, will be making his first appearance with the Rays this season. He is 4-7 with a 4.28 ERA in 82 career relief appearances with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox.
Martin, 25, has a 3.68 ERA without a decision in four relief appearances in his rookie season with Tampa Bay.
Wantz, 30, didn’t fare well in his lone appearance this season with the Rays. He allowed five runs on two hits in 1 2/3 innings in Saturday’s 14-3 setback to the Los Angeles Angels.
–Field Level Media
