Jim Schlossnagle Provides Injury Update on Key Longhorns Star

Injuries are an unfortunate and unpredictable aspect of sports that every team has to deal with. For the No. 2 Texas Longhorns, that has been evident this season with the loss of two key position players.

First, they lost outfielder Jonah Williams for the season. Then they announced that shortstop Adrian Rodriguez would miss time due to a hand injury that he initially suffered last year. Fortunately for them, though, Rodriguez's injury will not cause him to be out for the entire season.

He was listed as week-to-week and on Tuesday following a win over Incarnate Word, coach Jim Schlossnagle offered an update on the star sophomore's status and potential return ahead of Texas' series against the No. 18 Texas A&M Aggies.

Texas Longhorns coachJim Schlossnagle — Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle stands in the dugout ahead of the Lone Star Showdown. | Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Schlossnagle offered a positive update on the Longhorns star

"I think he might be able to help us in some form," said Schlossnagle. "I don't know if he'll be able to hit. We'll just see. I would say 90-10 he doesn't play."

"We don't know until he gets the stitches out on Thursday and he starts to grip. He can grip, but we've got to let those stitches heal. His mobility's fine. He says he feels better. But we just don't know until he puts a bat in his hand."

Prior to his surgery last week, Rodriguez had been slashing a solid .271/.386/.383 with 18 runs driven in and a team-high 10 doubles while also providing elite defense up the middle. However, there was noticeable pain on the face of the shortstop whenever he would come up empty and a hard to miss dip in power.

As a freshman, he launched seven home runs and offered a glimpse at power that could further develop into a double-digit long ball type of talent. Unfortunately, his lingering hand injury from his freshman campaign put a damper on that possibility.

The potential to get him back already for the Texas A&M series, albeit relatively slim, would undoubtedly be a huge win for Texas. In his absence the Longhorns have had to shuffle the infield with Temo Becerra going from third to shortstop, Casey Borba moving back from first to third and primarily Josh Livingston playing first.

For now, though, it would be wise to not expect him in the lineup this weekend. While getting him back would be big, prioritizing his long-term health and making sure he's fully good to go outweighs the possible benefits that a less than 100 percent Rodriguez would offer.

He'll be back eventually, however. And when he is, getting him back in the lineup at full health as well as his glove back at shortstop will offer a massive mid-season boost to a Texas squad with Omaha aspirations.

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