By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, June 10, 2011
Tampa Bay Rays rightfielder Matt Joyce was scratched from tonight's lineup with what the team called "post-injection soreness" in his left shoulder, which had bothered him the past week and a half.
Joyce, who ranks second in the league in hitting, was replaced by Justin Ruggiano, but says he expects to return to the lineup Saturday.
Joyce said with the team having an offday Thursday, he stayed in L.A. and had a cortisone shot taken, which resulted in some lingering soreness today. He said manager Joe Maddon suggested he back off a day, and Joyce added he could pinch-hit tonight if need be.
"It was something that I actually felt in the offseason, and had the same shot right before spring training and was good to go," Joyce said. "Same thing, it started flaring up, take another shot and good to go."
Manager Joe Maddon isn't concerned about it, saying it was just a one-day thing.