Tampa Bay Rays Luke Scott could miss five weeks

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Luke Scott is expected to be out for two to three weeks to start the season with a calf strain that is more severe than the Rays initially thought/hoped. An MRI revealed yesterday that Scott sustained the injury to his right calf, and the Rays promptly placed him on the 15-day disabled list. The DL stint is retroactive to the 24th of this month, so Scott is eligible to return on the 8th of April and believes he can be back by then.

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Although the 34-year-old is only expected to miss a few weeks, Rays beat writer Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Scott could miss up to five weeks with the calf strain. Despite Scott’s belief, it is high unlikely for the DH to be back by then, and it will be interesting to see what the Rays do at the DH spot in the interim.

Topkin writes that powerful 1B/DH Shelley Duncan and young, solid OF Brandon Guyer are possible replacements for Luke Scott. While Duncan is the more natural fit for the Rays at DH, Guyer is already on the 40-man roster and is much easier and less risky to put into the fold. As Topkins states, the Rays might lose Duncan when they send him back to Durham after Scott’s return.