Oakland, Calif. ? The Oakland Athletics’ injury-depleted outfield lost another player Wednesday when the club placed Chris Snelling on the 15-day disabled list with a deep bone bruise in his left knee.

The move is retroactive to May 11, and the A’s called up outfielder Hiram Bocachica from Triple-A Sacramento to fill Snelling’s roster spot and put him in the starting lineup in center field against the Kansas City Royals.

Oakland traded for Snelling on May 2 in a swap with the Washington Nationals. He batted .350 in six games for the A’s before the latest of his bad luck with injuries. This is his eighth career stint on the DL and he had two stints in each of the previous two seasons.

“That’s been the story of my career,” said Snelling, whose DL stint is the 10th needed by the defending AL West champions already in 2007.

Bocachica returned to Sacramento with the River Cats from Iowa earlier Wednesday, then made the nearly two-hour drive to the Bay Area. The A’s like his power, arm strength and speed – despite his up-and-down history with the organization.

Bocachica was on the 40-man roster before spring training, designated for assignment Feb. 14 before starting camp and released Feb. 22. He signed a minor league deal Feb. 28, then batted .111 with one RBI in 20 exhibition games.

“He’s had some bad luck,” manager Bob Geren said. “He was hit by a pitch one year, roster situations.”