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Tampa Bay Rays place Kyle Farnsworth on disabled list, call up Josh Lueke

 
Published April 5, 2012

The Tampa Bay Rays made the expected move official, placing closer Kyle Farnsworth on the 15-day disabled list Thursday and calling up reliever Josh Lueke.

Farnsworth has an elbow strain that will require rest, possibly up to six weeks. In his absence, the Rays are planning to use a match-up arrangement at the end of games, with Joel Peralta the likely first option but Fernando Rodney, J.P. Howell, Jake McGee and eventually Wade Davis all in the mix.

Lueke, 27, was acquired in trade from Seattle for catcher John Jaso. Lueke worked 25 games over two stints during his first season in the majors, going 1-1 with a 6.06 ERA from the Mariners, but improving as he went. He didn't have a very impressive spring and was optioned to Triple-A on March 23.

Brandon Gomes would have been the likely choice, but the Rays wanted to give him more time to regain velocity and command as he was coming back from off-season back surgery.