DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies placed All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on the disabled list Thursday because of a strained left groin.
Tulowitzki felt pain after running out of the batter's box when he grounded out to second base during the Rockies' six-run sixth inning against the Houston Astros on Wednesday. He left the game after that, and the Rockies placed him in the 15-day DL on Thursday.
"This is the right thing to do, this is the right move to make," manager Jim Tracy said. "I don't think it's anything structurally bad. However, he's very sore and very tender."
Tulowitzki underwent an MRI on Thursday, and the team was awaiting the results.
Tulowitzki said after Wednesday's game he had hoped to avoid going on the disabled list, but the team decided to be cautious and make the move before Thursday's series finale against the Astros.
"In a best-case scenario, if we were to try and milk this we're probably looking at 5-6 days. I don't like the idea of that at all, especially because of the type of injury it is we're dealing with," Tracy said. "A complete tear of either a hamstring or a groin is pretty much two, two-and-a-half months. I don't want to visit that."
The Rockies have struggled in May, going 6-18 before winning their last three against Houston. Tulowitzki has been instrumental in those three wins, going 4 for 8 with a home run in a doubleheader sweep Monday. He had a double in Wednesday's game to extend his hitting streak to nine games.
He is hitting .388 during the streak and has raised his average to .287 in his last 24 at-bats.
His teammates hope he can make a quick recovery.
"I just want him to be healthy and get right and we all believe he's going to be even better," outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said after Wednesday's game. "He's showing signs that he's going to contribute a lot to this team, and I know he's going to do a lot of damage and help the team when he gets back."
The Rockies activated infielder Chris Nelson from the 15-day DL to take Tulowitzki's spot on the active roster.