The Los Angeles Angels announced on Tuesday that third baseman Yunel Escobar is expected to miss 2-3 weeks with a mild Grade 1 oblique strain.

The team placed him on the 10-day disabled list. Escobar, 34, is hitting .274 with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 89 games this season.

It's a tough break for an Angels team suddenly dealing with injuries, with Kole Calhoun currently day-to-day as he recovers from a hamstring strain. 

And as the Angels try to sneak back into the wild-card race—at the time of publication, they were 55-58 and sat three games behind the Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays for the second wild-card berth—any injuries are potentially a major impediment. 

With Escobar sidelined, Luis Valbuena will slot into the lineup as the team's starting third baseman. Valbuena has had a rough season, hitting .187 with 11 homers and 35 RBI in 74 contests.