Another Texas Rangers Starting Infielder May Miss Opening Day With Injury
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The Texas Rangers could be without another starting infielder on Opening Day.
First baseman Nathaniel Lowe was scratched from Thursday's Cactus League game with an oblique strain and could be unavailable for several weeks.
"He's going to be out for a little bit. We'll reevaluate him on a daily basis but it's going to be a little while. With the oblique, you know how that goes," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters Friday morning.
Bochy said it's fair to say that Lowe is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day against the Chicago Cubs on March 28.
"Yeah, I think that's fair to say when you're talking about an oblique strain," he said.
The Gold Glover played in 161 games in 2023, batting .262 with 17 homers, 38 doubles, and 82 RBI.
Lowe's replacement at first base is most likely to be Jared Walsh, a 30-year-old veteran who batted .277 with 29 homers and 34 doubles with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021.
Other options include Justin Foscue, Ezequiel Duran, Josh Smith, Davis Wendzel, and Blaine Crim.
"We have candidates in-house who will get time there," Bochy said. "All of these names have been discussed," Bochy said. "Last year, we lost guys, and this team did an incredible job just focusing forward. We'll move on and keep it going until we get Nate back."
The Rangers have been without third baseman Josh Jung, who strained his left calf days before camp opened and has yet to see spring training game action, and shortstop Corey Seager, who had sports hernia surgery in the offseason and wasn't scheduled to return to action until the last week of March.
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