Report: Rangers 1B Prince Fielder 'seriously considering' season-ending surgery

Prince Fielder had his worst season last year since his rookie year in 2005. (R. Yeatts/Getty Images)

Texas Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder is "seriously considering" season-ending surgery, according to a report on Thursday from Jeff Wilson of The Star-Telegram.

Fielder would undergo the surgery to correct a herniated disc in his neck. He had a nerve-root injection over the weekend to help alleviate the pain, but as Wilson points out, "the shot doesn’t remove the chunk of disc from the nerve that is pinched and is causing weakness in Fielder’s left arm." Because of that weakness, he was scratched from the Rangers' lineup on Tuesday vs. the visiting Mariners.

If he does go through with the surgery, it will take place on May 27, according to a tweet on Thursday evening from Fox Sports reporter Anthony Andro.

Rangers manager Ron Washington said he thinks the 30-year-old Fielder is "disappointed" that he can't play in the series against his old Detroit Tigers team, which opened on Thursday afternoon:

"I think he's disappointed that he can't be here not only for this series but for his team. It's a situation where there wasn't anything he could do about it. If he could, he would be here."

The Rangers owe Fielder $130 million through 2020. The five-time All-Star has hit .247 with three home runs in 42 games this season. Last year, he hit .279 with 25 home runs, his worst season since his rookie year in 2005 with the Milwaukee Brewers.

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