Griffey Is Put on Disabled List Again

Ken Griffey Jr. was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, the second time this season the Cincinnati Reds have lost their star outfielder to injury.

Griffey strained a hamstring while running to first base June 7 and hasn’t fully recovered. He aggravated the injury while legging out a double Sunday, and didn’t play in the Reds’ 6-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

“Initially, we thought it was less than he’d done two weeks prior,” Red Manager Bob Boone said. “He came in [Monday] and did some tests, and it’s more sore than it was the day before. He was not able to participate.”

Griffey won’t be eligible to play until after the All-Star game. He will need at least a week to heal.

“If we err, hopefully he’s ready in a week and we’ll just make [the hamstring] be more ready,” Boone said.

Outfielder Austin Kearns was recalled from triple-A Louisville to replace Griffey.

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Arizona third baseman Matt Williams and second baseman Jay Bell will begin rehabilitation assignments with the Lancaster JetHawks next week and remain with the California League club until July 13.

Williams broke his left foot during spring training and Bell has been sidelined since late March because of calf problems. Neither has played this season.

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Tampa Bay put outfielder Greg Vaughn on the 15-day disabled list because of a bruised right shoulder and pitcher Ryan Rupe because of knee tendinitis.... Baltimore purchased the contract of left-hander Yorkis Perez from triple-A Rochester and sent seldom-used pitcher Sean Douglass to Rochester.