The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Jason Bere, who has a strained right shoulder, was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday, one day before the right-hander's first scheduled start of the season.

The Indians said Bere has had pain in his shoulder since pitching a simulated game on Monday in Baltimore.

The move is retroactive to March 27, and Bere is eligible to be activated April 11.

Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said the injury is not serious, and the club is just playing it safe with the pitcher.

"It's not a big deal. If he had to pitch, he could have," Shapiro said. "But at this time of year, we didn't want to take any chances."

Trainer Paul Spicuzza said an MRI revealed that two of the four muscles on the rotator cuff had inflammation.

"Any time you have a pitcher with a strained rotator cuff you worry about it," he said. "But we'll shut him down a couple of weeks, give him anti-inflammatory medication, start a strengthening program and hopefully in four weeks or so we'll get him back out there."

Bere signed a one-year contract with Cleveland as a free agent in December after spending two seasons with the Chicago Cubs. The Indians were counting on the 31-year-old to absorb innings to take pressure off some of their young pitchers.

Chad Paronto was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to take Bere's roster spot. He appeared in 29 games for the Indians last season.

Bere's injury forced the Indians to shuffle their starting rotation. C.C. Sabathia will move up one day into Bere's spot and start today against the Royals. Jake Westbrook will start Sunday for Cleveland.

Bere was plagued by injuries while going 1-10 with a 5.67 ERA last season with the Cubs.

He spent more than two months on the disabled list, from June 27 to Aug. 30, after being struck on the knee by a line drive hit by Cincinnati's Sean Casey. On Sept. 6, he returned to the disabled list after suffering a groin injury and missed the rest of the season.

DIAMONDBACKS: Arizona moved right-handed reliever Bret Prinz from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list because of a torn right groin. Prinz was injured while pitching to Hideo Nomo in the eighth inning of Monday's opening-day loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

• Arizona sent catcher Robby Hammock to Triple-A Tucson and called up right-handed pitcher Scott Service, who signed a minor-league contract in February.