The Seattle Mariners placed slugger Nelson Cruz on the disabled list Tuesday due to the sprained right ankle he suffered on Saturday.
Cruz was injured when he slipped on the steps as he returned to the dugout at Safeco Field after hitting a homer in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants.
The move was retroactive to April 1.
X-rays were negative and Cruz also underwent an MRI exam.
Infielder Taylor Motter was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to replace Cruz on the 25-man roster. Motter batted .198 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 92 games with the Mariners last season.
Cruz joins two other Seattle starting position players on the DL. Catcher Mike Zunino and left fielder Ben Gamel are both on the list with oblique injuries.
In addition, Seattle right-hander Erasmo Ramirez (right lat muscle) is also on the DL.
Daniel Vogelbach will receive most of the designated-hitter at-bats while Cruz is sidelined.
The 37-year-old Cruz fell one homer shy of his fourth consecutive 40-homer campaign last season. He averaged 42 homers and 106 RBIs in his first three seasons with Seattle and has 325 career homers and 918 RBIs in 1,427 career games.
The Mariners open a two-game series in San Francisco on Tuesday night.
–Field Level Media
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