Josh Hamilton starting rehab stint, expected to rejoin Rangers next week

If all goes according to plan, Josh Hamilton’s second return to the Texas Rangers should come at the start of next week. Once he gets back on the field, he sure hopes it will last longer than a week.

Hamilton hasn’t played since May 31 after straining his hamstring running out a walk-off double and was ruled out for a month. The injury brought to an end his whirlwind first week back in Texas where he started off slow in his first game back but didn’t take much longer to find his groove as he had a two home run game st a few nights later. In seven games this season Hamilton has a .273 batting average and a .385 OBP to go with five RBIs and five runs scored.

The expectation is for Hamilton to be activated before the Rangers’ game Monday against Baltimore following a few rehab games with Double-A Frisco, where he’ll start playing on Wednesday.

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At 37-34 the Rangers are second in the AL West, four games behind the Houston Astros for first, and are among a pack of teams one game out of the wild-card in the AL.

Getting Hamilton back, as well as Adrian Beltre who returned to the Rangers’ lineup Tuesday after missing over three weeks with a thumb injury, should help keep them in the race.

Whether Hamilton’s return means Joey Gallo, Texas’ top prospect who was called up when Hamilton and Beltre went down, is sent back to the minors remains to be seen. Gallo is hitting .222 with five home runs in 18 games. GM Jon Daniels told the Forth Worth Star-Telegram that a decision hasn’t been made yet:

“I think it’s important that he plays every day; right now there is a spot for him in our lineup and he is playing and he is contributing,” JD said. “When these guys start to come back we will evaluate him at that time – how he is doing and whether he fits in our lineup.”

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