Prince Fielder‘s dreadful 2016 season has taken another bad turn, with the Texas Rangers placing the former All-Star on the disabled list on Wednesday because of neck problems. 

Continue for updates. 

Report: Surgery Recommended for Fielder

Wednesday, July 20

Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the Rangers placed Fielder on the 15-day DL, adding that an MRI showed the first baseman had a “herniation in [his] neck near [the] fusion” surgery he had in 2014 and that he was going to see a doctor with surgery being a possibility.   

Per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Rangers’ back doctor, Drew Dossett, is recommending that Fielder undergo surgery to repair his neck issue. 

Even though the news about Fielder does not sound good, it does provide some sense of relief for him and the Rangers since they have some reason that explains his performance in 2016. 

The 32-year-old Fielder is hitting a paltry .212/.292/.334 with eight home runs in 89 games this season. His lowest OPS over a full season prior to this campaign was a .720 mark in 2014, when he only played in 42 games before having a cervical fusion of two disks in his neck. 

Making things worse for the Rangers is that Fielder is signed through 2020 and making $24 million per season, though the Detroit Tigers are paying $6 million each season as part of the 2013 trade involving Ian Kinsler. 

Injuries continue to pile up for the Rangers, whose once-firm grasp of the American League West has dwindled to 4.5 games over the Houston Astros entering Wednesday thanks to a 4-11 record in July.

Fielder joins Shin-Soo Choo, Jake Diekman, Bryan Holaday, Josh Hamilton, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Tanner Scheppers and Drew Stubbs as Rangers on the disabled list.

It’s a testament to Texas’ depth that it has been able to stay afloat despite all of those injuries, but the last two months of the season are going to require a lot of shifting and maneuvering for manager Jeff Banister if the Rangers are going to make the postseason again.

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