Rays: Kazmir & Percy on DL, Price to start Monday

Starting pitcher Scott Kazmir and closer Troy Percival have been placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Two minor league players have been called up to replace them, and the team's VP or baseball operations has confirmed the team will also call up lefty starter David Price for Monday's game against the Indians.

Kazmir has a left quadriceps strain, and Percival has right shoulder tendinitis. The moves were made Friday before the start of the Rays' weekend series against the Florida Marlins.

Kazmir gave up seven runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings in his most recent start Wednesday and lost to Oakland. Over his past five starts, he has allowed 31 runs in 23 innings.

There had been rumblings all day, after a posting on the Triple-A Durham Bulls' Twitter account claimed two of its players were moving up.

Around 11 p.m. last night, the Bulls posted this:

+@#" and *#@+;! just got called up to the bigs.

And indeed, with Percival and Kazmir on the DL, Tampa Bay recalled right-hander Dale Thayer and shortstop Reid Brignac from Durham. Thayer had six saves with an 0.93 ERA at Durham, and Brignac was hitting .291 with three homers and 15 RBIs.

The Rays' Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, Andrew Friedman, told 10 Connects that Durham starter David Price will also be called up on Monday, which was Kazmir's next scheduled start.

Many fans have been hoping for Price to rejoin the Rays' lineup after pitching a phenomenal post season last year in the team's bullpen.

Friedman also confirmed that with his latest injury, Percival has gone home to contemplate retirement from baseball.

For the latest real time information on this, follow me at www.twitter.com/m_weber I'm keeping up with all the speculation as it goes on.