Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton will undergo another knee surgery on June 8 and miss the remainder of the 2016 season, per Jared Sandler of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas and Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The former MVP hasn’t played for the Rangers in 2016 after he experienced left knee soreness in February and started the year on the disabled list.
Hamilton had what MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan called “cleanup” surgery in September, and he returned to the field and played through the 2015 playoffs. Then, the Dallas Morning News‘ Evan Grant reported in November that Hamilton had a second surgery on the same knee after the season.
The 35-year-old looked to be set to return after the team sent him on a minor league rehab assignment in late April. However, the Rangers pulled him from the assignment May 5.
Injuries have dogged Hamilton throughout his career. Only once in nine years has he appeared in more than 150 games, and he played just 139 total games between the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Wilson noted the team doesn’t see Monday’s news as a major setback:
The offseason addition of Ian Desmond and call-up of Nomar Mazara have stabilized Texas’ outfield in Hamilton’s absence, and the team is only 1.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners in the American League West.
Even with Shin-Soo Choo and Drew Stubbs heading to the DL, per Wilson, the Rangers have enough depth to cope without Hamilton this year, especially if they bring Joey Gallo back up to the majors.
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