A back injury that forced Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star pitcher Robbie Ray to leave Wednesday’s start will now land him on the 10-day injured list.
Arizona placed its ace on the injured list on Thursday with a right lower back spasm. In a series of corresponding moves, the team called up pitching prospect Jon Duplantier.
The 27-year-old southpaw is a staple in Arizona’s rotation and stepped in as its ace following the blockbuster Zack Greinke trade.
While injuries have been an issue for Ray in recent years, he had been healthy this season before Wednesday’s back spasm. He owns a 3.99 ERA and 1.28 WHIP this year with 187 strikeouts across 142 innings.
Duplantier figures to get another shot to impress the coaching staff over the remainder of the year. The 25-year-old has pitched 25 innings in eight appearances this season and recorded a 1.32 WHIP and 4.32 ERA over that span.