Boxberger going back on DL with left oblique injury

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Brad Boxberger during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, May 31, 2016. The Royals defeated the Rays 10-5.
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Brad Boxberger during a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, May 31, 2016. The Royals defeated the Rays 10-5.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Tampa Bay Rays reliever Brad Boxberger is going back on the disabled list a day after his first appearance of the season with a left oblique strain and is likely out four to eight weeks.

Boxberger returned Wednesday to Tampa to be examined by the Rays medical staff.

"It's a very unfortunate injury but it's something he'll recover from," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He's just got it let the rehab process work its way out."

Boxberger, who led the American League in saves last season with 41, had adductor surgery in March and was reinstated from the DL on Monday.

Boxberger threw 16 pitches and gave up a two-run homer to Kendrys Morales in the sixth inning on Tuesday. He retired only two of the six batters he faced in the 10-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals before walking off the mound in pain.

Boxberger said he initially felt something when he hit Paulo Orlando with a pitch. He threw three more pitches to Jarrod Dyson, all balls, before leaving the game.

"And it got worse," Boxberger said Tuesday. "There wasn't anything that was going to get better on it, so I had to come out at that point."

The Rays recalled infielder Tim Beckham from Triple-A Durham, where he was 2 for 16 with seven strikeouts after his May 25 demotion. Beckham, the first pick in the 2008 draft, hit .185 with two home runs and five RBIs in 17 games earlier this season with the Rays.

The Rays opted to go with a seven-man bullpen and add an infielder with Steve Pearce removed from the past two games with right elbow inflammation and not in the lineup Wednesday.

"We really don't think it's that big of an issue," Cash said. "I know the throw yesterday, on the cut-off and relay, probably aggravated it even more. He had to put something on it. We know we want him in the lineup, so if we have to miss a day like today, it makes the most sense. I think it's very irritable right now. If he needs to play, he'll play."