ARLINGTON, Texas _ Slugger Joey Gallo has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique muscle, the Rangers announced on Sunday.
The team has called up Delino DeShields from Triple-A Nashville.
Gallo, who is batting .276 with 17 home runs, 41 RBIs and a .653 slugging percentage, sustained the injury Saturday in a 6-2 win over Kansas City. He first noticed the injury on an outfield throw and then was replaced during a fifth-inning at-bat after wincing during a check swing. Before the injury, he had homered in consecutive games against the Royals to end a brief slump.
Gallo underwent an MRI after the game, a Rangers spokesman said, and will be examined further Sunday.
Manager Chris Woodward said Sunday the prognosis is for a return in 10-14 days, most likely on the far end of that range. The location of the injury on the back side of Gallo's swing could mean less time out of the lineup, Woodward said.
"I think we got fortunate. We were a little bit lucky," Woodward said, who still plans to be cautious with Gallo upon his return.
"He worries me because he creates so much torque with his body. You don't want him to come back too early. We would love to have him back as soon as we can get him because we have to be careful with that one because we don't want it to turn into a six-to-eight week deal."
The Yankees' Aaron Judge, whose size and swing are frequently compared to Gallo, has been on the IL since April with an oblique strain. But the Rangers are optimistic that Gallo might return sooner because of the location of the injury as a left-handed hitter.
