Rays All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe heads to IL

The Tampa Bay Rays placed All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe on the 10-day IL due to left oblique tightness and recalled 1B Curtis Mead from Triple-A Durham.
Lowe’s move is retroactive to July 8 and he could be back in the lineup when the Rays host Baltimore when the regular season resumes on July 18.
Lowe was selected as an All-Star reserve, but will not compete in the mid-summer classic. The 31-year-old was also tabbed for the All-Star game in 2019, his second season in the major leagues.
The eight-year veteran was enjoying a solid first half of the season, slashing 272/.324/.487 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI.
Mead has played in 47 games for the Rays this season, hitting .225 with three home runs.
Kansas City third baseman Maikel Garcia was selected to replace Lowe in the All-Star game. Garcia is currently seventh in the American League with a .305 batting average. He has eight home runs, 18 steals and 40 RBI.