ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Tampa Bay Devil Rays third baseman Russ Johnson left the team Saturday morning and returned home to Baton Rouge, La., until after the All-Star break for personal reasons.

Manager Hal McRae said Johnson received permission from the club to leave, and is still on the active roster.

"Russ Johnson left the club for personal reasons, but he'll be back on Thursday. That's all I'm going to say,'' McRae said before Saturday night's game against the Anaheim Angels.

"It's personal reasons. That generally covers it. I see that in the papers all the time. So there is no reason to pursue it.''

The club would not say whether Johnson's departure was related to anything that occurred inside the Devil Rays' clubhouse following Friday night's 6-5 loss in 10 innings to the Anaheim Angels.

The clubhouse doors were closed to the media for an hour and 17 minutes after after David Eckstein's game-winning infield hit against Rays closer Esteban Yan, though McRae and individual players spoke in the corridor.

Devil Rays Chris Gomez, Jason Conti and Steve Cox all reacted as if they didn't know anything about it. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock and media relations assistant Greg Landy stood nearby.

"We're going to treat it separately. Last night was last night,'' McRae said.

When asked if the players were under a gag order, Conti said, "I don't know exactly if that's a simple yes-or-no answer. I don't know exactly what our responsibility is, as for talking. But I really don't even know what went on, or why the press wasn't allowed in here last night.''

The Devil Rays, who entered Saturday trying to end their club-record nine-game road losing streak, were a major league-worst 28-55 and spiraling toward their sixth straight last-place finish.

"We're in this thing together. Everybody knows that. So there's no reason to point fingers,'' McRae said Saturday. "The losses have been tough, but there's a game every day, and each day we make an attempt to right the ship.

"We haven't always played well and the results have not been good, but the effort is there and the desire is there. The guys have always played hard. And that's what they continue to do.''

Johnson, 29, joined the Devil Rays in May 2000 in a trade with Houston for pitcher Marc Valdes. He is hitting .215 with one home run and 11 RBI in 21 games this season, after hitting .294 with four homers and 33 RBI in 85 games last year.

Johnson has started one game since June 11 and has been relegated to pinch-hitting duty. He won the starting third base job in spring training before straining a tendon in his right foot while running out a grounder on March 27, then missed the first 11 games of the season. He has started only 26 of 71 games since.

McRae said Johnson's spot on the roster will remain vacant until he returns to the club next Thursday.