The Blue Jays have lost Brett Lawrie, who will start the season on the disabled list because of a strained rib.

Lawrie felt discomfort in his left side during an exhibition game with Canada's World Baseball Classic team against the Reds on March 6.

"I can't give a timetable, it's so hard," Lawrie said. "Everyone asks me every day, 'How does it feel?' It feels fine, to be quite honest with you, but it just does not feel like my other side and that's a problem. It raises a red flag to myself.

"You can't go out there and expect to be who you are if everything doesn't click. Sure, you could go out there and suck it up for a few games, but what happens when I have to go back to the manager and say 'Yeah it's sore,' and then I have to go through this whole process again?"