"Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon gave struggling DH Manny Ramirez most of the day off Wednesday and excused him from today's game in Chicago to tend to a personal matter after the two spoke Wednesday morning.

"I had him in the lineup, and I came in I sat him down and we talked a little bit and I decided to not play him today," Maddon said. "I decided to give him a little bit of a break. I know it's early in the season, but nevertheless, I still think he's pressing a bit."

Ramirez didn't say why he would miss today's game, but Maddon said it was connected to his excused absence from the Rays' final spring game March 30.

Johnny Damon assumed the DH duties Wednesday, and Sam Fuld took Damon's spot in left. Ramirez entered as a pinch-hitter for John Jaso in the eighth inning with two outs and a runner at first and popped out to shallow right field.

Unlike Tuesday night, when Ramirez was booed while striking out three times and going 0-for-4, Ramirez was exhorted with an ovation from the Tropicana Field crowd of 11,836 and was not booed when his out ended the inning.

Earlier, he said the boos didn't bother him.

"That's anywhere," he said. "It's all right. I'm not mad at myself. I just got myself out."

Maddon said he mainly wanted to convey to Ramirez that he didn't need to carry any more weight than his own in trying to get the Rays' stagnant offense going."