Kipnis injury triggers roster shuffle

  DETROIT:  Jason Kipnis went on the disabled list today with a strained right hamstring, and two players were summoned from Columbus.

Ezequiel Carrera has been optioned back to Triple-A and Shelley Duncan recalled. That takes care of the outfield portion of the moves. To take Kipnis' place in the middle of the infield, Luis Valbuena has been called up for the third time this season.

 Kipnis suffered his injury minutes before game time Thursday, when players were engaging in loosening up drills. He was scratched from the lineup with Jason Donald taking his place at second base.

It isn't clear whether Donald or Valbuena will get the bulk of Kipnis' playing time. Donald bats from the right side, Valbuena is a lefty, who has more experience but produced little in two previous stints with the Tribe. Kipnis is batting .279 with six home runs, 11 RBI and 14 runs in 18 games. Valbuena's big-league average this year is .136 in eight games, but his Triple-A average is .299 with 16 homers and 71 RBI in 101 games. 

Duncan has been a valuable pinch hitter (4-for-7) and occasionally as a platoon outfielder or designated hitters against left-handed pitchers. Carrera, a rookie, is a better defender who can run, but he not added much punch to the lineujp. While he was with the big-league club, he batted .236 in 34 at-bats.

Kipnis' stay on the DL is retroactive to last Sunday, which means he is eligible to be activated Aug. 30.