"No one seems quite sure how long it will last, but the Rays found a way to secure a nice bullpen insurance policy Wednesday.

The Rays purchased the contract of veteran reliever Jason Isringhausen from Durham and will put him on the 15-day disabled list Sunday. That compromise will keep Isringhausen in the organization as he continues to build strength following September elbow surgery and potentially give the Rays a significant boost if a bullpen opening pops up early in the season.

"We're obviously very excited about this development," Rays executive vice president Andrew Friedman said. "We feel like there is a very good chance that at some point in 2009 Jason will help us win games."

Isringhausen will work out in St. Petersburg for now, likely returning to Port Charlotte periodically to get in some work against minor-league hitters. No timetable was placed on how quickly the Rays might call him up, but Isringhausen said it should be more like a couple of weeks than a couple of months from now.

He could have asked the Rays to release him since they don't have an immediate opening for him, and the team likely would have complied. But Isringhausen wanted to stay with the team he signed with the second week of spring training."