D-backs place Greinke on 15-day DL with oblique strain

PHOENIX (AP) Zack Greinke has been placed on the disabled list for the first time in three years.

Arizona made the move Sunday after the ace right-hander was diagnosed with a left oblique strain. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Wednesday.

Greinke left Tuesday's game against Philadelphia after two innings. The injury apparently occurred when Greinke hit a sacrifice fly.

Signed to a six-year, $206.5 million contract in the offseason, Greinke is 10-3 with a 3.62 ERA. He had won seven of eight starts with a 2.18 ERA before Tuesday's outing.

''With all the testing they did and him not feeling any better, he agreed that the best course of action is to go on the DL,'' Arizona manager Chip Hale said. ''Hopefully, he'll be ready for us after the break. I don't know if it's realistic or not. That's what we're hoping right now.''

Greinke said the injury has improved.

''It's getting better, but not ready for game action and more than likely wouldn't be in those 10-11 days before the All-Star break'' he said.

Greinke said he had a timetable in his mind but wouldn't reveal it publicly ''because if I am wrong it just looks stupid.''

''Rest is how it heals,'' he said. ''I guess it depends how bad it is. There are a couple of little things they do. Who knows if it actually helps, but you still do it in case it does help.''

Runnner-up to the Chicago Cubs' Jake Arrieta for the NL Cy Young Award last season, Greinke had made 106 straight starts since April 11, 2013, when broke his collarbone in a brawl with San Diego.

''It's important for us not to lose him for a long period of time,'' Hale said. ''It would be only two starts if we could get him back after the break, which would be huge.''

Greinke joins his Los Angeles Dodgers teammate from last season, Clayton Kershaw, who is on the DL with a lower back injury.

Diamondbacks All-Star center fielder A.J. Pollock has missed the entire season after fracturing his elbow in a head-first slide at home in a warmup game just before the opener. Right fielder David Peralta has been out since June 15 with a lower back sprain. The Diamondbacks hope Peralta can return after the All-Star break.

Outfielder Rickie Weeks Jr. returned from bereavement leave and took Greinke's roster spot.