SAN DIEGOThree days after pitching 10 shutout innings, Cliff Lee was placed on the disabled list Saturday with a strained left oblique muscle.
The Phillies recalled left-handed reliever Joe Savery from Triple A Lehigh Valley. He will join the team Sunday in San Diego. Kyle Kendrick will take Lees spot in the rotation and pitch Monday night against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
General manger Ruben Amaro Jr. is hopeful that Lee will miss just two starts. The lefty would be eligible to return from the DL on May 4.
Lee became the first big-league pitcher to go 10 innings since 2007 Wednesday night in a 1-0 loss at San Francisco. While thats an unusual accomplishment, Lee threw a very manageable 102 pitches in the outing. He threw more pitches than that 19 times in 2011.
He actually did it on a pitch in the 10th when he felt something and it grabbed him on his left side, Amaro said. He was sore the next day. It has improved each day, but we're being very cautious with this. There's no reason for him to completely blow it out. It's an injury that if he really pulls it, we could lose him for a long time. We'll be cautious with him, shut him down, and get him right. Hopefully he only misses a couple of starts.
Lee has a history of groin and abdominal strains. Amaro said this problem was unrelated.
Amaro did not believe the injury had anything to do with Lees workload Wednesday night.
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I don't think so, he said. It just happened. He was moving through that game pretty well and efficiently. He didn't show any signs of fatigue. He was crisp in the 10th.
After that game, Lee actually said he would have liked to have pitched the 11th.
Lee is still with the team and receiving treatment. Amaro said Lee might be sent home for an MRI in the coming days.
Lees injury puts Kendrick in the familiar position of filling in for an injured starter. The 27-year-old swingman made 15 starts last season and had a 3.14 ERA in that role. Kendrick is capable of filling a long-term rotation spot. The Phils also have several veteran starters at Triple A, including Dave Bush, Pat Misch and Scott Elarton.
In other injury news, catcher Carlos Ruiz did not start for the second straight game Saturday night because of a jammed left wrist. Amaro said Ruiz had an X-ray, which was negative. Ruiz remains day-to-day. Brian Schneider started behind the plate Saturday night against the Padres with Roy Halladay on the mound.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com