Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes has been put on the 15-day disabled list due to a left hamstring injury.
The injury happened during the first inning of Monday’s Opening Day game against the Tampa Bay Rays. In the first inning Reyes hit a line drive to center field. Rays center fielder Desmond Jennings caught the ball, robbing Reyes of a hit. When Reyes started to speed up when he was halfway down the line, he felt his hamstring tighten, according to ESPN. In the bottom of the first inning Ryan Goins replaced Reyes.
''I tried to run a little bit faster between home plate and first base, and I kind of feel my hammy there,'' Reyes said. ''So I have to slowdown and get out of the game because I don't want to get any worse.''
Reyes first injured his hamstring during a spring training game on March 22. He missed the Blue Jays final five preseason games and played just five innings on Friday and Saturday. This isn’t the first time that Reyes has had a leg injury. Last year, which was his first year with the Blue Jays, he missed 66 games due to a sprained left ankle, according to the Associated Press. While with the Mets Reyes was on the disabled list four different times because of hamstring issues.
"I worked so hard this offseason just to get ready for Spring Training, play for a full year, and now I have to deal with this thing -- it's no fun at all. I want to be on the field, but it's one of those things, injuries happen, it's part of the game and I have to deal with it,” Reyes told MLB.com.
The Blue Jays have purchased infielder Jonathan Diaz’s contract from Triple-A Buffalo. He will take Reyes’s spot on the roster. In eight seasons in the minor leagues Diaz has a career average of .230 and a .655 OPS. Now the question is can Reyes stay healthy after he comes back.