ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -The Oakland Athletics placed designated hitter Mike Piazza on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained right shoulder Friday and purchased the contract of outfielder-DH Jack Cust from Triple-A Sacramento.
Piazza hurt his shoulder Wednesday at Boston when he collided with Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. He is expected to miss four-to-six weeks.
Cust was acquired from San Diego on Thursday for a player to be named or cash. He was hitting .295 with eight homers and 19 RBIs in 24 games for Triple-A Portland.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Cust, pitcher Esteban Loaiza was transferred from the 15-day to 60-day disabled list. The right-hander is sidelined because of a right trapezius injury.
Center fielder Nick Swisher was back in the lineup as the designated hitter Friday for the first time since straining his left hamstring on April 24. He did pinch hit Wednesday. Oakland manager Bob Geren said Swisher might play in the outfield on Saturday.
Outfielder Milton Bradley, out with a sore right wrist and strained left hamstring, is scheduled to see a hand specialist Saturday. Bradley, eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list next Tuesday, has been taking batting practice right-handed only.
Outfielder Mark Kotsay, who had back surgery in March, has been cleared to resume baseball activities. Geren said Kotsay could start working out at the Athletics’ spring training complex in Arizona as soon as Monday.
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