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Tulowitzki lands on DL with hamstring issue

Matt Brown / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The early-season misfortune refuses to let up for the Toronto Blue Jays, who have placed veteran shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on the 10-day disabled list due to a hamstring issue suffered in Friday's 13-inning, 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

"We don't think it's that big a deal," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told Sportsnet's Mike Wilner. "Big enough to put him on the DL, though, obviously."

Tulowitzki, who joins teammates Josh Donaldson, Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ, and J.P. Howell on the disabled list, tweaked his right hamstring sliding into third base on a wild pitch in the eighth inning of Friday's series opener, and immediately walked off the field. Shortly thereafter, the Blue Jays announced that Tulowitzki was experiencing hamstring tightness.

"I definitely wasn't in a position right there to help us, if I had to tag up or score," Tulowitzki told MLB.com's Austin Laymance. "I knew I needed to get out before I further injured myself. I'm sore."

Though the five-time All-Star has dealt with a litany of injuries in recent years - he averaged just 105 games per season from 2012 through 2016 - Tulowitzki has never before in his career dealt with hamstring problems.

"First time, so I don't really know what to expect," Tulowitzki said. "Nothing to gauge it off of here ... It's definitely sore."

Off to a dreadful 4-12 start and beset by injuries to several key contributors, the Blue Jays will now have to weather at least a 10-day absence for one of the few players contributing early in 2017. Nearly three weeks into the season, Tulowitzki has managed a .681 OPS (92 OPS+) with just one homer and four doubles, but ranks second on the club in win probability added and has driven in a team-high 10 runs.

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