Injury Bug Hits Rangers in Full Force

Aside from an admittedly tough rash of injuries to their pitching staff, the Texas Rangers have been lucky once again in the injury department. They lost Neftali Feliz and Colby Lewis for the season, saw Derek Holland, Alexi Ogando and Robbie Ross hit the disabled list and have had to give coritsone injections to their closer and set-up man.

But the lineup has gone basically unscathed. Not even Josh Hamilton nor Nelson Cruz, who are both locks to hit the DL at least twice per year, have been injured.

Then came Wednesday night. Adrian Beltre continued his out-of-this-worldly tear at the plate, homering early on before injuring his shoulder on a diving play at third base and having to exit the game. Later, his replacement, rookie Mike Olt, aggravated his plantar and is out indefinitely. That forced Ian Kinsler, who had never played a big-league game anywhere in the field other than second base to slide over to third base for the final two innings while Jurickson Profar entered the game at second base. After a strikeout late in the game, Hamilton didn't return to the field with what was termed a "sore" left knee.

Hamilton's wasn't thought to be serious, but Beltre's is a bit of a concern after he underwent a "precautionary" MRI to determine what, if any, damage was done to his shoulder.

Losing Beltre with three weeks to play in the regular season would be a significant blow. It'd be different if they'd all but locked up the AL West by now, but with Oakland's persistence and success, that is far from complete. Losing the hottest player in the lineup now could be a crushing loss.

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