Royals 3B Moustakas placed on 15-day DL with thumb fracture

CLEVELAND (AP) The Kansas City Royals have placed Mike Moustakas on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured left thumb.

The third baseman is hitting .258 with seven homers and 13 RBIs in 25 games. He batted .284 with 22 homers and 82 RBIs last season, playing a key role in helping the Royals win the World Series.

Moustakas was scratched from Friday night's lineup. He started Wednesday against Washington after not starting the first two games of the series because the thumb was bothering him.

Kansas City has lost eight of 10 and dropped to .500 for the first time since April 5, the second game of the season. The Royals have scored 11 runs and been shut out four times in the past 10 games.

Infielder Cheslor Cuthbret has been recalled from Triple-A Omaha.