Questions Remain 1 Week Before Opening Day
SURPRISE, AZ. (CBS 11 NEWS) - With Spring Training in Surprise winding down, manager Ron Washington was probably hoping to have most of his roster set. Instead, the final week before Opening Day at Globe Life Park in Arlington may prove to be the most interesting for the Rangers brain trust.
Texas got a double dose of bad news Monday morning. Catcher Geovany Soto will need surgery to repair torn lateral meniscus cartilage in his right knee. That surgery will likely happen on Wednesday. Soto will be out 10 to 12 weeks.
Outfielder Engel Beltre has a fractured right tibia. He's going to open the season on the disabled list. Beltre is back in North Texas for more tests to determine how long he's going to be on the shelf.
These injuries woes are just the latest for Texas. On Sunday, the team announced that second baseman Jurickson Profar has a torn muscle in his right shoulder. And that's going to keep Profar out 10 to 12 weeks.
And there's more injury news. Scheduled Opening Day starter Yu Darvish continues to fight through a stiff neck. His next outing is still to be determined.
Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo has a sore left elbow. He wasn't in the Rangers lineup Monday against the Oakland A's.
First baseman/outfielder Mitch Moreland returned Monday to the big league squad. He's missed part of Spring Training with a strained left oblique
The injuries are giving some players a chance to impress Washington and the coaching staff in the final days of Spring Training.
In Monday's game against the Athletics in Surprise, the first hit for Texas was a bunt single in the third by catcher Robinson Chirinos. That hit was erased by a fielder's choice.
Infielder Kensuke Tanaka, who was reassigned and then added back to the major league camp, handled second base duties on Monday. He stole a base in the third inning.
It's going to be a long week for Texas as they round out the squad that you'll see on Opening Day in Arlington. Stay with CBS 11 and TXA 21 for the latest developments in Surprise and when the team returns to Texas on Thursday.
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