The Texas Rangers are closely monitoring the health of outfielder Brandon Nimmo after he exited Friday’s matchup against the Detroit Tigers early due to recurring right hamstring tightness, marking the second straight game in which the veteran outfielder has left with the same issue.
Nimmo was removed in the fourth inning as a precautionary measure after experiencing discomfort during an at-bat. According to manager Skip Schumaker, the Rangers decided not to risk aggravating the injury despite Nimmo insisting he could continue playing.
Schumaker explained that he noticed Nimmo shaking his leg while at the plate and went to check on him immediately. Though Nimmo said he was able to stay in the game, the Rangers skipper chose caution, especially considering the cold and damp weather conditions in Detroit.
The decision came during a pitching change by Detroit after Nimmo singled off starter Jack Flaherty. As the Tigers prepared to bring in reliever Emmanuel De Jesus, Texas used the break in action to remove Nimmo from the contest.
Despite losing one of their hottest hitters, the Rangers held on for a 5-4 victory.
Before exiting, Nimmo had delivered another strong performance at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk and scoring two runs. He also contributed defensively in right field before the team opted to shut him down for the remainder of the night.
Utility man Josh Smith entered as a pinch-runner for Nimmo, while Ezequiel Duran shifted from second base to right field and Smith took over at second.
The weather may have played a role in the Rangers’ cautious approach, as temperatures sat around 48 degrees with intermittent rain throughout the evening. Given the cold and wet conditions, the club clearly felt it was not worth risking further strain to Nimmo’s hamstring.
Nimmo had also exited Wednesday’s game against the New York Yankees with the same hamstring issue, though both he and the Rangers initially believed the problem was minor enough for him to return quickly. He reportedly completed his full pregame routine Friday without any setbacks before taking the field.
The injury concern comes at an unfortunate time for Texas, as Nimmo has been one of the team’s most productive offensive players this season. Following Friday’s performance, he improved his slash line to an impressive .302/.378/.468 and has established himself as one of the Rangers’ top on-base threats early in the year.
His availability is especially important given the uncertainty surrounding fellow outfielder Wyatt Langford. Langford, who is currently working his way back from injury, suffered a setback during a rehab assignment in Arizona after leaving his first game following just one at-bat. Reports indicate he experienced renewed discomfort in his injured right forearm and underwent additional testing Friday.
Langford had been viewed as a candidate to rejoin the Rangers this weekend, but that timeline is now in doubt.
Should Nimmo miss additional time, Texas still has several outfield options, including Evan Carter, Sam Haggerty, Andrew McCutchen, and Alejandro Osuna to help fill the void.
For now, however, the Rangers’ primary focus will be determining the severity of Nimmo’s hamstring issue and whether he can avoid an injured list stint after exiting back-to-back games with the same lingering concern.
Leave a Reply