Cincinnati: Kim Ha-seong of the Tampa Bay Rays has been placed on the injured list (IL) with a lower back strain, returning to the sidelines with only 10 games under his belt in the injury-plagued first year with the club.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Rays put Kim on the 10-day IL on Friday before their series opener against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. The move was retroactive to Tuesday. Kim exited Monday's game against the Chicago White Sox when his back tightened up following a steal, leading him to miss the next two games.
Kim had been reportedly feeling better with each passing day and had been expected to return for the Reds series. Instead, he is back on the IL after spending about four months at the start of this season there while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Kim signed with the Rays in February, following four seasons with the San Diego Padres. The South Korean shortstop made his Rays debut on July 4 but then missed three games with a calf injury. He logged nine more games before his back issues forced him out again. Kim is batting .226/.314/.355 with a homer, three RBIs and four steals this season.
The Rays, at 53-50, were 1 1/2 games out of the third and the final American League Wild Card spot prior to the Reds game. Kim is the highest-paid Ray this season with a US$13 million salary. He has a player option for $16 million next year.