ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Devil Rays designated hitter Ben Grieve will miss the rest of the season because of surgery to remove a rib.

The operation, which is to take place next week, is part of a program to treat a small blood clot in his upper right arm. He is expected to be ready for spring training.

Grieve saw vascular surgeon Greg Pearl in Dallas on Tuesday. He was hospitalized last Friday after tests found the blood clot.

"He's got some impingement in the vein that has the clot, and maybe some impingement in his artery," Devil Rays head trainer Ken Crenshaw said, adding that Pearl "wants to do a nerve test to make sure the nerve is not impinged."

After being released from St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg on Sunday, Grieve flew to Dallas on Monday.

"He's going through a lot of health issues" Tampa Bay general manager Chuck LaMar said. "We're just glad that it looks like they found the cause and are going to deal with it."