Rangers’ Josh Hamilton unlikely to be 100 percent healthy

If and when Josh Hamilton returns to the Rangers roster it’s unlikely he’ll be 100 percent healthy.

Hamilton, who was pulled off his rehab assignment Sunday after one game (four innings) with Double A Frisco because of soreness and weakness behind his left knee. It’s similar to previous issues before his surgeries on the knee in October and February.

Hamilton could resume his rehab assignment sometime this weekend, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. Players must sit five days before resuming a rehab assignment if they’re pulled. Daniels said the club’s expectations for Hamilton’s health haven’t altered much since he returned to Texas in a trade with the Angels last April. He certainly doesn’t expect Hamilton to feel 100 percent because of the medical history of the knee.

“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,” Daniels said. I think the question is he’ll come back at what level? What is the new normal going to be?”

Hamilton’s injury struggles shouldn’t be confused with a lack of desire to make it back, Daniels said. In fact, the long, often painful process to get back shows the exact opposite.

“If he didn’t care it would be easy for him not to work as hard on the rehab and put the effort in to come back,” Daniels said. “He has a guaranteed contract and if he didn’t care he wouldn’t put himself through what he’s putting himself through right now.”

The strenuous workouts behind the scenes Hamilton has endured shows how much he’s “getting after it,” Daniels said.

“This isn’t totally catching anybody by surprise. The way the trade was made and the way the finances are structured were such that you knew that there was some risk involved from a physical standpoint and more importantly the way our roster is constructed,” he said. “We don’t need him, at this point, to come back and carry us.”

Although the Rangers have plenty of outfielders, including Shin-Soo Choo, who could return in less than three weeks from a calf injury, having Hamilton’s potent (if healthy) bat available off the bench is still a luxury the Rangers would enjoy.

Hamilton will get treatment this week and hit in the cage.

“He described to us it’s more than the pain it’s kind of a weakness. He says it will buckle on him at times,” Daniels said. “It’s not about a pain tolerance. More a functionality issue.”

Choo taking BP

Choo took batting practice with the team for the first time before Monday’s game in Toronto. He has done some light running on the field the past two days, including shagging balls in the outfield. Choo (strained right calf), who will remain with the team during the seven-game road trip, will have another MRI scan next week to check the progress. It was deemed 80 percent healed last week. He’ll go on a rehab assignment when it’s close to 100 percent healed, Daniels said.

Mazara, Andrus honored

Nomar Mazara was named the American League Rookie of the Month for April and Elvis Andrus was named the Rangers Player of the Month.

Mazara batted .333 with two home runs, two double and seven RBI in his first 17 games in the league. He made his debut April 10 when Shin-Soo Choo was injured. His .852 on-base plus slugging percentage is the highest ever by a qualifying Rangers rookie in the first month of a season.

Mazara joins Yu Darvish (April 2012), Justin Grimm (April 2013), Martin Perez (August 2013) and Delino DeShields (May 2015) as the fifth Rangers rookie to win the award.

Andrus led the club with a .325 batting average. He also has 13 RBI and eight runs scored. It’s the first time in his career he has been named the team’s player of the month.

Darvish goes Friday

Yu Darvish will make his second rehab start Friday night with Triple A Round Rock at Dell Diamond. The right-hander will throw three innings or 45 pitches. He threw 32 pitches in two innings Sunday at Double A Frisco.

Weather Day at Globe Life Park

CBS 11 meteorologists will present a special pregame presentation to school children May 11 at Globe Life Park. The “Weather Authority” class presented by KTVT/Ch. 11 will begin at approximately 10 a.m. and will include a one-hour presentation by meteorologist Scott Padgett, Jeff Jamison, Lisa Villegas and Jeff Ray. Admission is open to anyone with a ticket to the 1:05 p.m. game against the White Sox. Gates open at 9:30 a.m. Discounted group tickets are available by calling 972-726-4377 x3 or emailing grouptickets@texasrangers.com.

This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Rangers’ Josh Hamilton unlikely to be 100 percent healthy."