Josh Hamilton Injury Update: Texas Rangers Outfielder Done For Year?

Josh Hamilton injury news is untimely for the Texas Rangers. It seems Hamilton could possibly miss the rest of the regular season if he doesn’t start feeling better. A report from ESPN states that the former All-Star outfielder is still feeling pain in his sore left knee. This continues to keep him from running, dictating that he is not ready to return to playing baseball. Brought back during the 2015 MLB season, Hamilton hasn’t worked out as well as the front office had hoped.

Hamilton is eligible to come off the disabled list on Monday, August 31, but it doesn’t look like he will get activated yet. Speaking to the press about the situation, he stated the injury “is a day-to-day thing,” and that he is “tired of watching ballgames.” Fans are likely tired of watching him sit out games, especially when the Rangers still have an outside shot at catching one of the wild card teams in the American League.

Since coming over to the Rangers from the Los Angeles Angels, Josh Hamilton has played in 38 games, going 36-for-142 at the plate. That’s good for a.254 batting average to go with a.726 OPS, 13 extra base hits, 21 RBIs, and 19 runs scored. Not bad numbers, but the team had been hoping he could step in as a full-time outfielder again. That hasn’t been the case, as he continues a trend of getting hurt.

It’s certainly possible the Rangers will activate Hamilton, whether he is ready to go or not, just to ensure that he will be available for the postseason. He could serve as a pinch hitter off the bench until he is feeling up to going into the outfield again. That might not happen during the 2015 MLB season, but the team will have additional bodies to play the outfield when the September call-ups are made official. It should make the transition back into the lineup a bit softer for the veteran.

For now, Hamilton isn’t ready to live up to that hefty contract, so fantasy baseball owners are going to have to let him go as the stretch run approaches. The knee inflammation is expected to go away at some point soon, but it is one of those injuries that is impossible to predict. That’s what might make this latest Josh Hamilton injury update even more frustrating for Texas Rangers fans, as he continues to appear ready to play even though he still can’t physically run.

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