Royals outfielder Cain goes on DL with groin injury
Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain went on the 15-day disabled list Thursday, retroactive to Wednesday, because of a left groin strain.
Cain was injured in the second inning Tuesday, when he slammed into the wall in center at the Oakland Coliseum after making a long running catch in the second inning.
The Royals hoped Cain would be ready for the home opener Friday, but the prognosis was that he probably will be out for a week, but if he was not ready by then, the club would be playing short-handed for seven games.
"The smart thing to do is go ahead right now put him on the DL, let him get 100 percent in the next two weeks and go out on a rehab for two or three days, let him go get some at-bats and be right back in the lineup," manager Ned Yost said. "We just think it's the smartest thing to do.
"We want to go ahead and try to nip this in the bud right now, so we don't push him if seven days from now he's not 100 percent and he aggravates it or it continues to affect him."
The Royals replaced Cain on the roster by recalling outfielder Jarrod Dyson from Class AAA Omaha.
In spring training, Cain batted .371 with five home runs and a 1.193 OPS, which ranked third in the majors. He replaced Melky Cabrera, who was traded to the Giants, in center fielder.
Cain, who was acquired from the Brewers as part of the Zack Greinke trade, spent nearly all of last season with Omaha, batting .312 with 16 home runs and 81 RBI. He was a September call up and hit .273 in six games.
Dyson batted .364 with a .400 on-base percentage in seven games with the Storm Chasers, while scoring seven runs and stealing six bases without being caught.
Manager Ned Yost said he would use Dyson, Jason Bourgeois and Mitch Maier in center in Cain's absence. Bourgeois is the only right-handed hitter of the three.
"We've got some options," Yost said. He noted Dyson's great start in the Pacific Coast League and his "ability to roam the field."
Dyson has a .208 batting average in 101 at-bats in the majors and has 20 stolen bases in 22 attempts.
"We'll use him a lot out there," Yost said. "I like Maier coming off the bench a little more."
