SAN FRANCISCO — Cincinnati Reds center fielder Jim Edmonds went on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained right oblique muscle, though the club still hopes he can return for the stretch run.

Manager Dusty Baker isn’t about to guess when Edmonds might be ready to play again.

“I don’t know,” Baker said before the middle game of the Reds’ series with the San Francisco Giants. “With that oblique, it’s tough. These things usually put you on the 15-day DL, but that’s rarely enough. Everybody heals differently. If anybody knows how to heal, it’s him. He’s had a number of injuries.”

Edmonds was injured in the sixth inning of the Reds’ 11-2 loss to the Giants on Monday night. He felt it on a swing and a miss against Matt Cain.

Edmonds grimaced on his follow through and was lifted for pinch-hitter Drew Stubbs. The 40-year-old Edmonds is batting .272 with nine home runs, 21 RBIs and 23 doubles with the Reds and Milwaukee.

General manager Walt Jocketty expects Edmonds back in 2 to 3 weeks.

Jocketty said it seems the training staff attended to the injury right away, which could help Edmonds’ chances of contributing late in the year.

“It’s hard to tell with those types of injuries,” Jocketty said. “It was determined it’s going to be at least two weeks.”

The Reds also optioned right-handed reliever Jordan Smith to Triple-A Louisville and recalled right-hander Sam LeCure and Triple-A All-Star second baseman Chris Valaika from Louisville. This will be LeCure’s second stint with the Reds this season. He was scheduled to pitch Tuesday, so Baker had him as an option for long relief.

When Valaika plays, he will become the eighth Red to make his major league debut this year. He provides another right-handed bat and some versatility for Baker considering he can play second, third and shortstop.

Laynce Nix wasn’t in the lineup after spraining his left ankle Monday. He was listed as day to day and exams showed no ligament damage.

Jocketty said reliever Russ Springer is done for the season as he recovers from a herniated disk and so is reliever Jason Isringhausen, signed a minor league deal last month and is coming back from elbow surgery.