Thome On The DL

The Chicago White Sox placed designated hitter Jim Thome on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained muscle in his right rib cage.

Thome originally suffered the injury against Kansas City on Monday, but aggravated it in his first at-bat against the Los Angeles Angels, fouling off a pitch before leaving in the first inning.

The left-handed slugger had gotten off to a strong start this season, hitting .340 with five homers and 12 RBIs. Thome, 36, leads the American League with 25 walks and a .553 on-base percentage, while sitting at second with a .680 slugging percentage.

To fill Thome's spot on the active roster, the White Sox recalled outfielder Ryan Sweeney from AAA Charlotte. In 21 games with the Knights, Sweeney hit .256 with two homers and six RBIs. The 22-year-old outfielder appeared in 18 games with the White Sox last season, batting .229 with five RBIs.

[Chicago Sun-Times]