The Rays announced late this afternoon that Luke Scott was placed on the disabled list with mid-back spasms.
Scott hasn’t played since last Friday due to the injury, so his DL-stint will be backdated. He told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he expects to return when he is first eligible on June 24.
Scott, who signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Rays over the winter, is batting .220/.281/.424 with nine home runs, 35 RBI and a .704 OPS through 196 plate appearances this season. Hideki Matsui figures to get most of the at-bats out of the DH spot for now, although he’s hitting an even .200 (7-for-35) with two homers, a double and a .643 OPS over his first 11 games since being added to the major league roster.