A's Chavez out at least five days after injection to back

PHOENIX -- Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez will miss at least five days after receiving an injection Friday to help ease inflammation in his lower back.

He had corrective surgery in October after missing the final two months of last season with lower back spasms.

"He was doing very well but the activity caught up with him," A's head trainer Steve Sayles said. "It's been gradually coming on and it got to the point we felt we needed to address it."

Since reporting to spring training, Chavez had been taking a specific number of ground balls and hitting against live pitching, besides the batting cage and other work.

"He's going to lose five days," Sayles said. "Afterward we will evaluate him to see about getting him back into action."

Chavez won six consecutive Gold Glove awards from 2001-06. He is in the fourth year of a six-year contract extension through 2010, with a club option for 2011.