Upton burises hand

B. J. Upton was struck by a pitch on his left hand while batting in a minor league game Saturday at Charlotte Sports Park.

X-rays showed a bone bruise, and he will be reevaluated today.

Upton is listed as day-to-day.

The Rays center fielder had offseason surgery on his left shoulder and is slowly playing his way back into playing shape.

Upton played the outfield for three innings in a minor league game Wednesday and batted three times in a Triple A game Thursday.

He was scheduled to play center field and bat for three innings Saturday.

It looks more and more like Upton will begin the season on the disabled list since there isn't enough time to get him the at-bats and the innings in the outfield before the start of the regular season April 6 in Boston.

It's not really an issue of playing in the cold during the first road trip that includes three games in Boston and three in Baltimore. It's more an issue of him being ready, period.

Rays manager Joe Maddon said before Saturday's rain out in Fort Lauderdale, where the Rays were to play the Orioles, that Upton is basically beginning his spring training.

Saturday's hit-by-pitch is going to set that back a few days.