The Rays have placed 27-year old switch-hitting catcher Jose Lobaton on the 15-day disabled list due to soreness in his right shoulder. Lobaton has played in 4 games for the Rays so far this year and he is 2 for 10 (.200 avg, .633 OPS) with 1 run scored. The Rays have called up 29-year old righty swinging catcher Chris Gimenez to replace Lobaton as the Rays’ backup catcher and he’s in the starting lineup today against the Red Sox. Gimenez played in 2 games in AAA-ball for the Rays so far this year and he was 3 for 8 (.375 avg, .944 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 1 RBI. He played in 24 games for the Mariners last year and he was 12 for 59 (.203 avg, .585 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs.

The Rays have placed 35-year old righty closer Kyle Farnsworth on the 15-day disabled list due to a right elbow strain. He will likely return in late April or early May. He pitched in 63 games (0 starts) for the Rays last year and he was 5-1 with 25 saves, a 2.18 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Farnsworth has now pitched in 776 games (26 starts) in his first 13 years in the majors and he is 39-56 with 52 saves, a 4.25 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. The Rays are going to miss Farnsworth as he was a lockdown closer when healthy last year. Fernando Rodney, Joel Peralta, Wade Davis, J.P. Howell or Jake McGee could replace Farnsworth until he’s ready to return to action.

UPDATE: (4/6/2012) - The Rays will be without Kyle Farnsworth for the next 4-6 weeks.

The Tampa Bay Rays have placed 27-year old catcher Robinson Chirinos on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th due to a concussion. Chirinos played in 20 games for the Rays last year and he was 12 of 55 (.218 avg, .592 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer and 7 RBIs. He also played in 78 games in AAA-ball last year in which he was 73 of 282 (.259 avg, .719 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 6 homers, 24 RBIs and 1 stolen base. When Chirinos comes off the D.L., he’s going to go to AAA and he will have to earn his way back to Tampa.

UPDATE: (4/18/2012) - The Rays have moved Robinson Chirinos from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day D.L. to make room on the 40-man roster for 1B Brandon Allen who was claimed off waivers from the A’s earlier today.

The Rays have placed 27-year old righty swinging CF B.J. Upton on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26th due to a lower back injury. Upton played in 153 games for the Rays last year and he was 136 of 560 (.243 avg, .759 OPS) with 82 runs scored, 23 homers, 81 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. He has now played in 820 games in his first seven years with the Rays and he is 769 of 2,995 (.257 avg, .759 OPS) with 460 runs scored, 90 homers, 369 RBIs and 201 stolen bases. Desmond Jennings will take over in CF until Upton is ready to return to action, likely in the middle of April. This is a blow to the Rays and B.J. Upton, who is in his free agent walk year.

The Tampa Bay Rays will be without 30-year old backup oufielder Sam Fuld to the next 4-5 months due to surgery on his right wrist. Fuld played in 105 games for the Rays last year and he was 74 of 308 (.240 avg, .673 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 3 homers, 27 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He has now played in 203 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 107 of 439 (.244 avg, .685 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 4 homers, 32 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. The Rays are going to miss Fuld’s defense, speed and aggressiveness in 2012.