Report: Neck surgery may have ended Prince Fielder’s career
Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder’s career “appears over” after undergoing neck surgery last month, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports.
The Rangers are expected to hold a press conference on Wednesday, Rosenthal adds.
Fielder had surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck last month. The operation was his second neck surgery since 2014.
The Rangers owe Fielder $96 million over the next four years, and Rosenthal reports it is unclear if the contract is insured.
Fielder, 32, played the last three seasons with the Rangers after being acquired from the Tigers in a trade for Ian Kinsler. He was the seventh pick of the 2002 draft and made his MLB debut in 2005 for the Brewers.
Fielder was a durable player early in his career. From 2006 to 2013 he played at least 157 games each year. He had his first neck surgery in June 2014, playing just 42 games that season.
Fielder was one of the best power hitters of his generation, hitting 50 home runs with the Brewers in 2007. He had six 30-homer seasons and hit 319 home runs in his career, coincidentally the same number as his father Cecil had.
