Roy Oswalt has had a very good career as a starting pitcher, but over the past couple of seasons his career has hit quite a wall. Last season in Philadelphia, he had two stints on the disabled list with a bad back and now he might be ready for another.
Oswalt was scratched from his start to open a three-game series in Arlington against the Boston Red Sox and will be replaced by hit-or-miss spot starter/long reliever Scott Feldman, and all of this when it seemed like the Rangers' pitching staff was starting to get back to full strength.
When Oswalt signed back in May, he informed the Rangers that he's a good candidate for back flare-ups that often aren't serious, so Rangers fans hope that's what this is. Oswalt is in Houston seeing his back specialist today.
"We anticipate that he's only going to miss one start," general manager Jon Daniels told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
That would be a good thing as Neftali Feliz is underway on his rehab assignment after missing two months with arm fatigue. So far, things haven't gone well but it's assumed he will get at least two more rehab outings before making a return to the bigs.
There were many possibilities when Oswalt signed with the Rangers, and although an undesirable one, the possibility of him having injury troubles was definitely a likely one. Well, here we go.
