Lowell has been placed on the DL due to lingering hip issues, apparently the injection he received was not immediately helpful. Jeff Bailey takes his place on the roster, and Youks becomes the everyday 3b for awhile.
It's as good a time as any for this to happen, as Lowell had been struggling and we all have seen how his range at 3b has been limited this season.
This could definitely open up more trade talks, as we might seek some help depending upon whether or not this could last longer than the required 15-day stint. Nick Johnson, anyone?