CINCINNATI, April 6 (UPI) -- Ken Griffey Jr.'s difficult tenure with the Cincinnati Reds may have hit rock bottom with the announcement Sunday that he will be sidelined six to 10 weeks with a dislocated right shoulder.
It marks the second straight year that the Reds' center fielder has suffered a severe injury in the opening week of the season.
Griffey, who has been on the disabled list three times in the last two seasons, officially has not been disabled but team officials have confirmed the dislocation and early prognosis.
Griffey dislocated his right shoulder in the eighth inning of Saturday's 9-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Chasing a line drive by Paul Bako, Griffey dove and landed hard on the outfield grass. He was helped off the field and had his shoulder popped back into place before being taken to a local hospital for an MRI.
Griffey spent his first 11 seasons with the Seattle Mariners before coming to Cincinnati for four players in February 2000.
Griffey, who attended high school in Cincinnati, batted .271 with 40 home runs and 118 RBI in his first season with the Reds. But he has suffered injuries to both hamstrings as well as a torn patella tendon in the last two seasons, and combined for just 30 homers and 88 RBI in 181 games.
The tendon injury happened in the sixth game last season and limited him to 70 games.
