ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Third baseman Evan Longoria took a right turn out of the Tampa Bay clubhouse and walked a few feet before stepping in front of a group of reporters huddled around a lineup board that will not list his name for the next 4 to 8 weeks.

The three-time All-Star was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a partially torn left hamstring Tuesday. Replacing his bat and glove won’t be easy.

Yet the Rays are confident they’ll be OK without their best player, who’s hitting .329 with four homers and 19 RBI.

“I’ve been in similar situations before and it’s just one of those things where I’ll stay positive,” Longoria said. “It’s going to be tough to watch, but I can’t really worry about it right now. I’ve just got to worry about getting healthy.”

The Rays received the test results before Tuesday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners. Longoria was injured Monday while running to second base on an attempted steal. He slid into the bag and remained on the ground for a moment before climbing to his feet and walking to the dugout without assistance.

Elliot Johnson replaced him following the third inning and eventually delivered a winning RBI single in the 12th inning of a 3-2 victory.

The Rays have made the playoffs three of the past four seasons, including 2008 when they won the AL East and made an improbable run to the World Series. That year, nearly every starter spent time on the disabled list, including Longoria.

 


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