NEW YORK (AP) The Cincinnati Reds placed center fielder Drew Stubbs on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a strained muscle on his left side and called up utilityman Willie Harris from Triple-A Louisville.
The team announced the moves before the opener of a three-game series against the New York Mets. Chris Heisey, who had been subbing for Stubbs in center, was out of the starting lineup after leaving Thursday's game against Cleveland with a mild groin strain.
''He didn't pull it. It's just tight,'' manager Dusty Baker said. ''Those big old strong legs he has, tight means real tight.''
Wilson Valdez made his first major league start in center for Cincinnati.
Stubbs went on the DL retroactive to June 6 and Baker said he hopes the outfielder will be healthy enough to come off when the team returns home next Friday against Minnesota.
To make room for Harris on the 40-man roster, the Reds transferred right-hander Nick Masset from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. Masset has been out since April 4 with a sprained right shoulder.
Harris made Cincinnati's opening-day roster and played in 19 games before he was outrighted to Louisville on May 7, when infielder Miguel Cairo came off the disabled list.
In another injury update, third baseman Scott Rolen was set to begin a rehab stint Friday at Louisville that was expected to last two games. He has been on the DL since May 12 with a sore left shoulder but could rejoin the Reds in Cleveland on Monday.