ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas was the last team in the majors to make a roster move this season, going more than six weeks before having to use the disabled list.
In the last five weeks, the AL West-leading Rangers have averaged about a pitcher a week going down.
Right-hander Colby Lewis went down on Tuesday, going on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his right forearm. He is the third starter from the opening-day rotation out of the lineup, along with a reliever and another pitcher hurt in his first start of the season after moving from the bullpen.
''It's just something that every club deals with, we just waited a little while longer before we dealt with it,'' general manager Jon Daniels said. ''I feel good that all of these guys are in relatively good spots and should be able to bounce back.''
Lewis started feeling tightness in his forearm in the last two innings of his June 17 start against Houston, when he allowed only three hits and a run over seven innings in a victory. He felt fine in the early stages of Saturday's game against Colorado.
''Then it just kind of came on and progressively got tighter as the game went on,'' said Lewis, who gave up 12 hits and eight runs in four innings against the Rockies.
Though the move is retroactive to Sunday, the earliest Lewis will be able to pitch again for the Rangers is after the All-Star break. An MRI showed no other issues, and he had a cortisone shot.
''It's just one of those situations, better to be safe than sorry, and not push the issue now and not be able to be there for these guys at the end of the year,'' Lewis said. ''You have to listen to your body, and I'm not going to push it.''
Texas filled Lewis' roster spot when left-handed prospect Martin Perez was promoted from Triple-A Round Rock. The 21-year-old Perez is the team's top pitching prospect and in the majors for the first time.
Left-handed starter Derek Holland (shoulder fatigue) is set for the first of at least two rehab starts at Round Rock on Wednesday night. Neftali Feliz (right elbow inflammation) and Alexi Ogando (right groin strain), hurt running the bases when he filled in for Holland, both threw from 90 feet Tuesday.
Feliz, the hard-throwing closer turned starter, has been out since May 19, two days before he was put on the DL for the team's first roster move this season. The earliest he could return is July 18.
Ogando has been out since June 11, the day after throwing three perfect innings in his first start this season. Holland last pitched June 5, after losing about 15 pounds over about two weeks because of a stomach virus.
Reliever Koji Uehara, who hasn't pitched since June 9 because of a strained back muscle, and Ogando could be ready for bullpen sessions as early as next week.
Including the postseason, the 32-year-old Lewis threw at least 224 innings with 36 starts in each of the last two seasons when the Rangers made it to the World Series in consecutive years. Adding his 15 starts and 100 innings already this year, only former teammate C.J. Wilson, now with the Los Angeles Angels, has made more starts in the majors than Lewis' 87 since the beginning of 2010.
Lewis had a similar issue in 2008 while pitching in Japan, missing about three weeks.
''It's the same sort of feeling I had in 2008. Maybe it just needs rest,'' Lewis said. ''That's what I took off then, and I was able to bounce back and be fine, and I haven't had the issue since then. Maybe it was just throwing a lot of innings early. But it is what it is, and move on.''
Lewis (6-6, 3.51 ERA) hopes all he will miss are the two starts he was scheduled to make before the All-Star break. He has already thrown two complete games this season and his 1.08 walks per nine innings is the lowest in the majors.
Scott Feldman (1-6, 6.00 ERA) is scheduled to start in Lewis' spot Thursday in the series opener against Oakland.
Rookie right-hander Justin Grimm (1-1) gave up eight hits and six runs while facing only 12 batters Monday night against Detroit. His next scheduled start is Saturday, but Perez could end up in that spot.
Daniels said Grimm or Perez, and maybe both of them, could be used in long relief out of the bullpen before Saturday.
Perez, a Venezuelan who signed with the Rangers at age 16 five years ago, was 5-5 with a 4.59 ERA in 15 starts at Round Rock, but allowed just two runs on four hits in 16 innings while winning his last two starts. When the Rangers needed another starter two weeks ago, they went with Grimm from Double-A Frisco over Perez.
''His last two ballgames have been pretty good,'' manager Ron Washington said of Perez. ''We needed some length. He was in a perfect place at the right time. Here he is.''