Nelson Cruz Suffers Strained Hamstring
Nelson Cruz left last night’s game against the Angels in the 6th inning after straining his left hamstring. The Rangers are awaiting the results of an MRI to see what type of damage Cruz is dealing with.
Cruz sustained the injury as he rounded first base after doubling to right field. When the ball looked like it might get away from Torii Hunter, Cruz tried to up his pace. It appears that this is when he tweaked his hammy, as he proceeded to gingerly stroll into second.
Cruz’s hamstrings have caused him all kinds of problems over the years. Last season alone, Cruz made three separate trips to the disabled list after straining the troublesome muscle.
Immediately following the injury, Cruz said that he thought it was “bad”. But after he was able to rest and ice it a bit, Cruz’s hamstring was feeling much better.
While Cruz may be optimistic, Rangers’ manager Ron Washington didn’t seem to be smelling the roses. When questioned after the game on Cruz’s status, Washington responded “He’s got a hamstring, that means time”.
Cruz has had another productive season in Texas, posting a line of .270/.322/.531 with 28 home runs, 27 doubles and 84 RBI’s.
While the Rangers await the MRI results, speculation has increased that Texas could look outside the organization for a replacement if Cruz is forced to miss significant time. One name that’s popped up has been Cardinals’ slugger Lance Berkman.
However, Rangers GM Jon Daniels has stated that the team will “more than likely” look inside their organization to find Cruz’s fill in.
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