Josh Hamilton needs shoulder surgery, doubtful for opening day
As recently as 10 days ago, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton was talking in interviews (like the one above) about “rebounding” in 2015 — not so fast there, Josh.
The Angels announced Tuesday that Hamilton will even start 2015 on a disappointing note. He needs surgery to fix the AC joint in his right shoulder, the club said, the result of which makes him doubtful for opening day. Hamilton dealt with shoulder issues in September of last season, spending most of that month on the bench before going 0-for-the-ALDS.
As MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez explains, that lingering issue has turned into yet another problem for Hamilton, one that will keep him out 6-8 weeks:
Hamilton’s shoulder bothered him throughout September, a month in which he only played in one of the Angels’ last 23 regular-season games due to an assortment of ailments on his right side.
The 33-year-old outfielder took some extra time off in the offseason. While attending a charity bowling event on Jan. 26, Hamilton said he still felt a slight jab in his right ribs but didn’t think it would limit him during Spring Training. In a release, the Angels said “symptoms resurfaced this past week.”
Hamilton’s surgery will be performed at Texas Metroplex Institute for Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, by Dr. Keith Meister. The Angels say he is expected to resume baseball activities as soon as three weeks, but he now looks doubtful to be ready by Opening Day.
Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times notes that the Angels didn’t expect Hamilton’s shoulder to be an issue heading into the 2015 season, which is why it wasn’t addressed after they were bounced from the playoffs.
Hamilton is one of the players in MLB who needed a clean start in 2015, and it’s certainly not coming now. He’s been an all-around disappointment for the Angels since signing a five-year, $125 million contract before the 2013 season.
He’s missed time for various injuries, particularly in 2014 when he played just 89 games. He tore a thumb ligament last season, halting a hot start and missing two months. Even when he was playing more frequently, like in 2013, Hamilton wasn’t at the top of his game. He’s hit a combined .255 in two seasons with the Angels, almost forty points lower than his career average, and has 31 total homers.
On the flipside, this might make good fodder for “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” the trashy reality TV show that recently added Hamilton’s wife (and by proxy him) to its cast.
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Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
