Texas Rangers: Josh Hamilton setback clouds future

Knee pain forced Josh Hamilton out of his first minor league rehab game over the weekend. Is his window for a comeback closing?

Josh Hamilton‘s path back to the major leagues just encountered another roadblock.

The Texas Rangers outfielder experienced pain in his left knee while running the bases during his first minor league rehab game with Double-A Frisco on Saturday. He was removed after four innings, though he had planned to play five.

According to Rangers team president and general manager Jon Daniels, Hamilton received a cortisone shot and they are hopeful he can resume playing sometime next week.

“He had a recurrence of similar discomfort in his knee,” Daniels said. “I feel for him as much as anything. We have a lot of guys playing really well right now, so our first thought with Josh is get him to where he can play comfortably with it.”

The Dallas Morning News reports that Hamilton will continue rehabbing at the team facility in Arlington for now, where they will presumably reevaluate.

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This is an especially frustrating setback for Hamilton, who missed most of last season due to his knee issues. His Spring Training was also wiped out as he attempted to work his way back from the injury.

Health problems aside, Hamilton also has many questions to answer regarding his on-field performance. His 2010 season, in which he won both the AL MVP award and batting title, seems like an eternity ago. He slashed .359/.411/.633 with 32 home runs and 100 RBIs that year while spearheading the Rangers to a pennant run.

Hamilton’s production famously plummeted after signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels prior to the 2013 campaign. In his two seasons in California, he posted a lackluster .255/.316/.426 line with 31 homers and 123 RBIs in a total of 240 games.

In 2015 he was traded back to Texas but limited to just 50 contests. He hit .253/.291/.441 along with eight long balls and 25 RBIs in 182 plate appearances. Although his overall numbers weren’t exactly remarkable, Hamilton did show some signs of rediscovering his power stroke. His 21.1 percent home run to fly ball (HR/FB) ratio was his highest since 2012.

Of course, actually getting on the field and staying there has been a challenge all its own. Hamilton was sidelined for 185 games over the past two campaigns, and the fact that his knee ailment flared up again in his first real action of 2016 isn’t exactly encouraging.

The nine-year veteran will be turning 35 later this month. That’s not a point where many careers experience an upswing. If Hamilton can return to the Rangers sometime this season, how much can he really be expected to contribute? It’s anyone’s guess, but the outfielder’s results in recent years don’t paint the most promising picture.

The Rangers took a chance last season in reacquiring Hamilton, hoping that a change of scenery back to the franchise where he enjoyed the most prosperous run of his career would be good for him. Fortunately for them, the Angels are on the hook for the bulk of Hamilton’s remaining salary. Texas only owes him $2 million for this year and another $2 million in 2017, so if his second stint with the club is ultimately a failure, it won’t be an expensive one.

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The emergence of rookie Nomar Mazara (.821 OPS in 79 PA) has provided a boost to the Rangers outfield, but a healthy and productive Hamilton would obviously be a nice asset to have. However, in light of this latest development, that’s looking more and more like a pipe dream.

Is Hamilton a lost cause, or is there enough reason to believe he can get healthy and contribute? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.