Hamilton to have season-ending knee surgery
Josh Hamilton's season is over.
After getting a second opinion on his surgically repaired left knee, the Texas Rangers outfielder will undergo surgery June 8, which will force him to miss the remainder of the 2016 campaign.
Hamilton, who hasn't appeared in a game this season, plans to play in 2017 and is 100 percent committed to making a comeback in time.
Texas wasn't surprised by the news and doesn't anticipate his injury affecting the team, despite also placing outfielder Shin-Soo Choo (hamstring) on the disabled list with Drew Stubbs (toe) potentially following him.
Hamilton, who re-energized his career with the Rangers in 2008 after a history of drug and alcohol issues, was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in 2015.
The 35-year-old, who crushed his way to the AL MVP in 2010 with a .359/.411/1.044 slash line with 32 home runs and 100 RBIs, hasn't been able to produce at the same level due to numerous knee problems.
Hamilton's bothersome knee could be an everlasting issue, according to general manager Jon Daniels, who said at the beginning of May it's unlikely the slugger will ever be 100 percent healthy again.
"I don't think that's anybody's expectation at this point. It's more about getting to a level where he's comfortable playing on it,' he said.
The former first overall pick in 1999 owns a career slash line of .290/.349/.516 with 200 home runs and 701 RBIs during his nine-year MLB career.