From the Texas Rangers:

The Texas Rangers announced today that the club has placed outfielder Josh Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 27, with a strained left intercostal muscle. To take Hamilton's place on the 25-man roster, the club has recalled catcher Max Ramirez from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Ramirez (#51) is slated to be in uniform and available for tonight's series opener against the Chicago White Sox.

Hamilton would be eligible to be reinstated from the disabled list on May 12, when the Rangers open a homestand with a game against Seattle. He initially suffered his injury on April 21 at Toronto. He crashed into the center field wall after chasing a ball hit by Alex Rios in the third inning that night, the injury coming when his elbow jammed into the ribs on his left side as he collided with the wall. Hamilton finished the game that night, but pinch-hit the following night after not starting. He started 3 straight games in center field April 23 (at Toronto) and April 24-25 (at Baltimore), exiting the last of those contests after scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. He pinch-hit again on Sunday at Baltimore, his last game action.

Hamilton has hit .242 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI in 18 games for Texas this season. This is the third disabled list stint of his major league career, the other two coming with Cincinnati in 2007, one for gastroenteritis and the most recent with a sprained right wrist.

Ramirez, 24, has batted .234 (15-64) with one home run, 3 doubles, 8 RBI, and 9 runs scored in 16 games with Oklahoma City this season. He has played 13 games behind the plate and 3 as the designated hitter. Ramirez was 3-for-5 with a double and RBI in 3 games for the Rangers during spring training. He was a member of the Venezuelan team for the World Baseball Classic, going 2-for-10 with a home run and 3 RBI in 4 games for his country's squad.

Ramirez made his major league debut with the Rangers last season, batting .217 with 2 home runs and 9 RBI in 17 games with Texas. He had career highs with 3 hits and 3 RBI last year on July 13 vs. Chicago-AL, tonight's opponent. Ramirez entered the year with career minor league marks that include a .311 average, .410 on-base percentage, and .512 slugging mark. He was acquired by Texas from Cleveland on July 27, 2007 in exchange for outfielder Kenny Lofton.

After today's moves, the Rangers still have a full 40-man roster.

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