Jays put reliever Smith on 10-day DL

Journeyman has served in setup role most of year

ARLINGTON, TEXAS •Another day, another injury.

Right-handed relief pitcher Joe Smith, who has done an excellent job largely in the setup role for the Blue Jays this season, was put on the 10-day disabled list Monday with shoulder inflammation. Right-hander Leonel Campos has been recalled.

Smith said prior to Monday’s game against the Texas Rangers the injury isn’t serious and that he just needs some time away from throwing.

“Sometimes things just take a little bit of time to calm down,” he said. “So we won’t play catch the next couple of days and then just get in the weight room and keep the lower half strong and keep doing what we’re doing in the training room and I think we’ve got a good plan of attack.

“It flared up after the outing in Tampa (June 14),” Smith added. “We kind of worked on it that night and it was little sore. I figured it would be good after an off day. And we came back in after the off day and it wasn’t responding very well. We tried to give it a couple of days. It was getting better but it hasn’t felt as good as I’d like it to the last four days I’ve been off. But I don’t expect it to take longer than Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Joe Smith ranked seventh among right-handed relievers with 47 strikeouts at the time of his shoulder injury. the next seven days that I got to be out here.”

In the game against the Rays, Smith gave up three runs on three hits in one inning of work. Prior to that, the sidewinder had been lights out for the Jays this year. His 47 strikeouts rank seventh among American League right-handed pitchers. Jays manager John Gibbons said Danny Barnes and Ryan Tepera will fill in as the team’s setup man (for closer Roberto Osuna) while Smith is out. Smith has confidence that both can do the job.

“They’ve been unbelievable all year. Barnsie really establishing himself in the back end and Tepera kind of had that up-and-down role last year and you saw him in Anaheim in April,’’ Smith said in reference to that April 30 game in which Tepera gave up only one hit in 3.1 innings against the Angels. “I think that three-inning stint really just boosted his confidence and showed what he can really do and he’s continued rolling since then.” SANCHEZ UPDATE RHP Aaron Sanchez (right middle finger) was scheduled to throw off the mound again on Monday in Texas and then will head to Florida and throw live batting practice on Thursday.

“If things keep progressing a few days after that, he’ll pitch in a game in Dunedin. And then we’ll see how that goes. He’s going to need at least a couple of starts in Dunedin,” said Gibbons. ONE THAT GOT AWAY

The Texas starter Toronto was scheduled to face Monday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Austin Bibens-Dirkx was in the Jays system for a couple of years.

Since being called up from Triple A, Bibens-Dirkx has won his last two outings and allowed just one run in the last 8.2 innings, earning his second win and first as a starter in Sunday’s 5-1 win in Washington, besting Max Scherzer in the process.

He played for the HighA Dunedin Blue Jays and Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2013 in the Jays organization. In 2014, he played for New Hampshire and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. On Nov. 6, 2015, he opted for free agency and signed a minor league deal with the Rangers in June of 2016. KUDOS FROM J.D. Jays slugger Josh Donaldson said he is thrilled with first baseman Justin Smoak’s production this season. Smoak’s 19 homers put him tied for third in the American League.

“I think he’s just taking advantage of pitchers’ mistakes and being aggressive and he’s been able to hit the ball very hard more times than not,” said Donaldson, who believes Smoak should be considered for a place in the All-Star game.