ST. LOUIS – Cardinals second baseman Skip Schumaker and reserve outfielder Allen Craig have been placed on the 15-day disabled list entering a six-game homestand.
Schumaker has a right triceps strain and Craig has a left groin strain. The moves were announced Tuesday before the start of a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.
Manager Tony La Russa thinks Schumaker, who's batting .241 with one homer and eight RBIs, will need more than 15 days to recover. Craig, who said he was injured while stealing second at Los Angeles on Saturday, is batting .313 with one homer and seven RBIs.
Infielder Nick Punto was activated from the 15-day disabled list and first baseman Mark Hamilton was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Punto missed most of spring training after surgery in February for a sports hernia and La Russa said he'd have been activated at some point this homestand, in any case.
Tyler Greene started at second base Tuesday night and the Cardinals also can use Punto and Daniel Descalso there. La Russa said he'd probably give Punto a start on Wednesday.
"We've got three good options, so we're in good shape," La Russa said.
The 26-year-old Hamilton was a supplemental draft pick in 2006 out of Tulane and played nine games for the Cardinals last September. He was hitting .297 with one home run and four RBIs in 11 games at Memphis.
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