Rangers | Hamilton snaps slump

The Dallas Morning News' Richard Durrett reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a single to left field to drive in a run Tuesday, July 28, against the Detroit Tigers.

Josh Hamilton will bat seventh again on Tuesday against the

Josh Hamilton will bat seventh again on Tuesday against the Tigers. Hamilton was 0-for-4 with a strikeout out of the No. 7 spot on Monday The move won't be permanent, but he figures to stick there for a little bit while he attempts to straighten himself out offensively. [...]

Manager Ron Washington said the move was designed to ease the

Manager Ron Washington said the move was designed to ease the pressure on Hamilton, who has struggled mightily of late and is just 2-for-28 over his last seven games. Washington filled Hamilton's normal No. 3 spot in the lineup with David Murphy, who has been hitting .375 in July.

Hamilton is back in the lineup for Monday's game against the

Hamilton is back in the lineup for Monday's game against the Tigers, the Rangers' official site reports. [...]

Hamilton dropped to seventh in Rangers' lineup

Josh Hamilton, who had been placed at third or fourth in the lineup for every one of the games he's started since joining Texas last year, has been placed at No. 7 tonight against Detroit, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Our View: Expect this to be a temporary move until Hamilton can get things going again at the plate, as he's a guy manager Ron Washington would ideally like in the middle of the lineup.

Josh Hamilton was dropped to seventh in the order for Monday's

Josh Hamilton was dropped to seventh in the order for Monday's game against the Tigers. As Jeff Wilson of the Dallas Morning News notes, Hamilton has batted third or fourth for every game as a member of the Rangers. [...]

Rangers | Hamilton sits

The Associated Press reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton was out of the lineup Sunday, July 26, after going 0-for-7 with five strikeouts in the previous two games.

Struggling Hamilton gets day off

News: Rangers manager Ron Washington held CF Josh Hamilton, who is 0 for 7 with five strikeouts in the series, out of the starting lineup in Sunday's win over the Royals. [...]

Hamilton was not in the lineup Sunday against the Royals.

Hamilton was not in the lineup Sunday against the Royals. [...]

Hamilton went into Sunday's game with just two hits in his last

Hamilton went into Sunday's game with just two hits in his last 28 at-bats, so manager Ron Washington decided to give him a day off. "He needs it," Washington said. "I want to give him a chance to gather himself." For the season, between his two trips to the disabled list, Hamilton is hitting .228 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. He has a .279 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage. Owners with the slumping slugger should probably sit him until he shows signs of finding himself at the plate.

Hamilton went into Sunday's game with just two hits in his last

Hamilton went into Sunday's game with just two hits in his last 28 at-bats, so manager Ron Washington decided to give him a day off. "He needs it," Washington said. "I want to give him a chance to gather himself." For the season, between his two trips to the disabled list, Hamilton is hitting .228 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. He has a .279 on-base percentage and a .402 slugging percentage.

Hamilton not playing on Sunday

Josh Hamilton is not in the Rangers' lineup Sunday. He will be replaced in center field by Marlon Byrd.

Our View: Hamilton is 0-for-7 over the last two games, and manager Ron Washington thought he needed a day off. Hopefully the rest will allow him to regroup, because the Rangers need his offense in the lineup, especially with the Angels beginning to get hot.

Josh Hamilton is getting Sunday off after going 0-for-7 with

Josh Hamilton is getting Sunday off after going 0-for-7 with five strikeouts the last two days. Hamilton wanted to play, but manager Ron Washington thought he needed the break. [...]

Struggling Hamilton Ks three times

News: Slumping Texas OF Josh Hamilton continued his recent slide on Saturday against the Royals, going 0 for 3 with a walk and three strikeouts. Hamilton has failed to get a hit in each of his last three games, going 0 for 11 with five strikeouts. [...]

According to Anthony Andro of the Dallas Morning News, Josh

According to Anthony Andro of the Dallas Morning News, Josh Hamilton and the Rangers have tabled talks about a long-term deal until after the season. "I'm not worried about it at all," said Hamilton. [...]

Rangers | Will not discuss contract with Hamilton until offseason

Anthony Andro, of The Dallas Morning News, reports the Texas Rangers will not hold any contract discussions for a long-term deal with OF Josh Hamilton until the offseason. Hamilton said the two sides decided to hold off on contract discussions about six weeks ago.

Swing timeFrom ESPN.com's Jason Grey: "Hamilton confirmed

Swing timeFrom ESPN.com's Jason Grey: "Hamilton confirmed that there was a subtle change in his swing in the first half of this season, and said it was a big part of why his first half didn't go the way he wanted."Grey's ClipboardTue, Jul 21 [...]

Hamilton drives in all three Rangers' runs

Josh Hamilton provided all of the offense for the Rangers on Friday as they fell to the Twins by a score of 5-3. Hamilton went 3-for-4 with a home run, a run scored, and three RBI in the game.

Our View: The Rangers need Hamilton to be huge at the plate in the second half, and he has started off nicely. They are in the playoff hunt, and Hamilton will have to lead the way if they are going to unseat the Angels in the division.

Rangers | Hamilton collects three hits Friday

The Associated Press reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton collected three hits, including a two-run home run Friday, July 17. He now has seven home runs on the season.

Hamilton shines in return to Texas

News: Texas CF Josh Hamilton had three hits, including a two-run homer and an RBI single, in his first home game since May 31 on Friday against the Twins. That was the day before the All-Star starting center fielder went on the disabled list for the second time this season - both times, he got hurt crashing into an outfield wall while making a catch. [...]

Josh Hamilton was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in a

Josh Hamilton was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in a loss to the Twins on Friday night. He slugged a two-run blast in the first inning and added an RBI single in the fifth. [...]

A big start to the second half for Hamilton, who would probably

A big start to the second half for Hamilton, who would probably like to put an injury-marred and underproductive first leg of the season behind him. While he would need to have a monstrous stretch run to approach 30 homers and 100 RBIs -- benchmarks most owners who drafted him early were expecting he’d reach -- there’s still ample remaining for the breakout slugger of 2008 to build on his .256 average.

Hamilton missed over seven weeks in the first half due to injury,

Hamilton missed over seven weeks in the first half due to injury, and didn’t hit much in seven July games prior to the All-Star break. It's likely too late for owners to receive full value from a player they likely spent a first round pick to acquire, but they should remain confident that Hamilton will make an impact down the stretch.

Hamilton fares well in All-Star Game

Josh Hamilton went 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI in tonight's 4-3 win over the National League in the All-Star Game in St. Louis.

Our View: Hamilton's performance is encouraging, as he failed to collect any RBI over seven games this month heading into the All-Star break.

Derby difficult for '08 star Hamilton to sit out

Josh Hamilton had to make the tough choice to pass on the Home Run Derby this year, but the memory of his 2008 performance is far from forgotten.

Rangers | Fast fact: Hamilton provides spark to team when in lineup

Jeff Wilson, of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, reports the Texas Rangers' batting average and on-base percentage were both 33 points higher, their slugging percentage jumped 110 points, and they averaged 1.61 more runs with OF Josh Hamilton in the lineup. In his first three games back from a second stint on the disabled list against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Rangers scored 20 runs, had 33 hits, seven homers and batted .295.

Rangers | Hamilton will not compete in Home Run Derby

The Associated Press reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton will not participate in the 2009 Home Run Derby at the request of his manager.

Morneau opts out of Home Run Derby

USA Today is reporting that Twins' first baseman Justin Morneau will not participate in the 2009 Home Run Derby. Morneau said he wants to rest and just watch the derby instead of participating.

Our View: Morneau was offered a spot in the derby, but he decided to turn down the opportunity to defend his title. He won the derby last year over Josh Hamilton, who put on a show up until the final round.

Hamilton went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base during

Hamilton went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base during the Rangers' win Tuesday. [...]

Andruw Jones cranked his 11th homer -- a three-run job -- in

Andruw Jones cranked his 11th homer -- a three-run job -- in Tuesday’s win over the Angels.

Analysis: Hamilton has hit safely in five straight games but has collected just two extra-base hits in that span. Between injuries and underproduction, the breakout stud from a year ago hasn’t come through for all the fantasy owners who were counting on something similar to his .304-32-130 line of 2008. So far this season he’s batting .263 with six dingers and 24 RBIs in 37 games.

Josh Hamilton was 3-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run

Josh Hamilton was 3-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in a win over the Angels on Tuesday. Hamilton is 5-for-8 with a double and two runs scored in two games since returning from the disabled list on Monday. [...]

Hamilton goes 3-for-4 as Rangers roll

Josh Hamilton went 3-for-4 in his second game back from the disabled list as the Rangers cruised 8-5 in Anaheim.

Our View: The big guy didn't drive in any runs, but looked good and is hopefully ready for a productive second half.

Rangers | Hamilton has two hits Monday

Jeff Wilson, of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton had two hits and scored a run in his first game back from the disabled list Monday, July 6. He could be used as the designated hitter or in a corner outfield spot before the team's road trip ends Sunday, July 12.

Hamilton (abdomen) went 2-for-4 in his first game back from

Hamilton (abdomen) went 2-for-4 in his first game back from the DL on Monday. [...]

Josh Hamilton started in center field and went 2-for-4 with

Josh Hamilton started in center field and went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored against the Angels on Monday.

Analysis: Hamilton went just 4-for-27 while working back from an abdominal tear in six injury-rehabilitation games in the Minor Leagues, but looked every bit like Josh Hamilton in his first Big League game since May 31. His ability is no secret to fantasy owners after his blockbuster breakout in 2008, but Hamilton's health will remain a concern until he can string a few games like this together. Still, this is encouraging stuff, and probably enough to get Hamilton back into the lineups of all but the most cautious owners.

Rangers OF Josh Hamilton, out since late May with an abdominal

News: Rangers OF Josh Hamilton, out since late May with an abdominal injury, returned to the lineup Monday at the Angels. He went 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored. [...]

Analysis: Manager Ron Washington gave him the option of being the designated hitter but Hamilton said he wanted to play the field right away. The Rangers are carrying six outfielders, which will allow them to use Hamilton at DH -- or in left or right field -- to avoid wear and tear on the still-recovering slugger. Owners with the ability to do so might want to wait a day or two as Hamilton adjusts to Big League pitching, especially considering that he hit .148 (4-for-27) during his six-game Minor League rehab stint. But he's back, and that's good news for everyone.

Jeff Francoeur was benched for the third consecutive game on

Jeff Francoeur was benched for the third consecutive game on Monday, with Matt Diaz getting the starting nod in right field.

Analysis: Manager Ron Washington gave him the option of being the designated hitter but Hamilton said he wanted to play the field right away. The Rangers are carrying six outfielders, which will allow them to use Hamilton at DH -- or in left or right field -- to avoid wear and tear on the still-recovering slugger. Owners with the ability to do so might want to wait a day or two as Hamilton adjusts to Big League pitching, especially considering that he hit .148 (4-for-27) during his six-game Minor League rehab stint. But he's back, and that's good news for everyone.

Josh Hamilton was activated from the 15-day DL on Monday and

Josh Hamilton was activated from the 15-day DL on Monday and drew the start in center field against the Angels.

Analysis: Manager Ron Washington gave him the option of being the designated hitter but Hamilton said he wanted to play the field right away. The Rangers are carrying six outfielders, which will allow them to use Hamilton at DH -- or in left or right field -- to avoid wear and tear on the still-recovering slugger. Owners with the ability to do so might want to wait a day or two as Hamilton adjusts to Big League pitching, especially considering that he hit .148 (4-for-27) during his six-game Minor League rehab stint. But he's back, and that's good news for everyone.

Rangers activate Hamilton from DL

The Texas Rangers got All-Star center fielder Josh Hamilton back before the opener of a key three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

The Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers have activated

News: The Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers have activated Josh Hamilton off the disabled list and optioned Chris Davis to Triple-A. [...]

Analysis: Hamilton hit .148 (4-for-27) during his Minor League rehab stint, but the Rangers aren't too worried about his numbers in that stretch. "He's been down there and played [six] ballgames," manager Ron Washington said. "It was time for him to come help us out." It may take a few games for Hamilton to get acclimated to big league pitching, but he's the kind of guy who can put up big numbers in a hurry, so owners may not want to wait too long before activating him. For the season, he's batting .240 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 35 games.

Rangers | Hamilton plays Sunday

The Associated Press reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton (abdominal) went 2-for-7 in a doubleheader with Triple-A Oklahoma City Sunday, July 5, with a triple, double and a stolen base. He went 4-for-27 in six minor league games during his rehab stint.

Rangers activated outfielder Josh Hamilton from the 15-day disabled

Rangers activated outfielder Josh Hamilton from the 15-day disabled list. Hamilton had been sidelined since June 9 following surgery to repair a partially torn abdominal muscle. [...]

David Murphy went 3-for-3 with an RBI on Sunday.

David Murphy went 3-for-3 with an RBI on Sunday.

Analysis: Hamilton hit .148 (4-for-27) during his Minor League rehab stint, but the Rangers aren't too worried about his numbers in that stretch. "He's been down there and played [six] ballgames," manager Ron Washington said. "It was time for him to come help us out." It may take a few games for Hamilton to get acclimated to big league pitching, but he's the kind of guy who can put up big numbers in a hurry, so owners may not want to wait too long before activating him. For the season, he's batting .240 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 35 games.

Rangers | Hamilton activated

Richard Durrett, of the Dallas Morning News, reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton (abdominal) was activated from the disabled list and will return during the team's upcoming series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton will be reinstated from the

News: Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton will be reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Monday, in time to return to Texas' lineup for the team's game against the Angels. To make room for Hamilton, the Rangers will send struggling first baseman Chris Davis to Triple-A Oklahoma City to get his swing back on track. Davis is batting .202 and leads the majors with 114 strikeouts. Hamilton went on the disabled list June 2 and had abdominal surgery a week later. He was injured when he smacked into an outfield wall while making a catch on May 17. That came less than a week after coming off an earlier stay on the DL due to a strained ribcage muscle from another collision with an outfield wall on another catch. Hamilton said his health is good. "The physical part of the rehab is good," Hamilton said in a conference call from Oklahoma City. "I'm trying to do some things with my swing to get back on track. If I wasn't making progress every day, I'd be worried, but it's going good." [...]

David Murphy went 3-for-3 with an RBI on Sunday.

David Murphy went 3-for-3 with an RBI on Sunday.

Analysis: Hamilton's return isn't a surprise, but Davis' demotion is. While he's batting .202 with a Major League-leading 114 strikeouts, Davis' defense had become an asset to the Rangers. Given that the Rangers already employed five outfielders before Hamilton's return, it's unclear how the logjam will work itself out. Hank Blalock might be likely to receive more time at first base, with Hamilton possibly getting time at designated hitter. In any case, Hamilton should be inserted into lineups immediately.

Hamilton (abdomen) was activated by the Rangers from the 15-day

Hamilton (abdomen) was activated by the Rangers from the 15-day DL following Sunday night's win over the Rays, InsideCorner reports. [...]

Josh Hamilton was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City Sunday

Josh Hamilton was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City Sunday as Chris Davis was sent down to Oklahoma.

Analysis: Hamilton's return isn't a surprise, but Davis' demotion is. While he's batting .202 with a Major League-leading 114 strikeouts, Davis' defense had become an asset to the Rangers. Given that the Rangers already employed five outfielders before Hamilton's return, it's unclear how the logjam will work itself out. Hank Blalock might be likely to receive more time at first base, with Hamilton possibly getting time at designated hitter. In any case, Hamilton should be inserted into lineups immediately.

Rangers manager Ron Washington plans to have outfielder Josh

News: Rangers manager Ron Washington plans to have outfielder Josh Hamilton back in Texas' lineup within the next few days. The two-time All-Star center fielder, recovering from abdominal surgery, played a doubleheader with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday in a minor league rehab assignment, going 2 for 7 in the two games, including a triple, double and stolen base. Hamilton is expected to be back with the Rangers during a three-game road series with the Angels that gets under way Monday night. [...]

Rangers | Two players named to All-Star team

Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton and 3B Michael Young have been named to the American League All-Star team, according to MLB.com. Hamilton was voted into the starting lineup.

Hamilton, Young named to All-Star team

Josh Hamilton was voted in by the fans to start the All-Star Game, and teammate Michael Young is headed to St. Louis as a reserve, elected by the players in his first year at third base.

Josh Hamilton was named a starter to the American League All-Star

Josh Hamilton was named a starter to the American League All-Star squad on Sunday.

Analysis: Still in the Minors as he recuperates from a surgically repaired torn abdominal muscle, Hamilton has a .240 batting average with six home runs and 24 RBIs through 35 games. His scheduled game with Triple-A Oklahoma City was rained out Saturday night, so the two-time All-Star is expected to play Sunday. He's likely to be called up at some point in the next few days.

Hamilton (abdomen) will play for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday,

Hamilton (abdomen) will play for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, delaying his return to the Rangers until at least Monday, the Dallas Morning News reports. [...]

Hamilton return delayed a day

Josh Hamilton will not rejoin the Rangers on Sunday as originally planned because his scheduled rehab start was rained out on Saturday, according to Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune.

Our View: He will now return Monday when the Rangers play in Anaheim. You may want to wait a few days before penciling him into your starting lineup, as he has not been hitting well in his rehab starts thus far.

Hamilton return delayed a day

Josh Hamilton will not join the Rangers as originally planned on Sunday because his scheduled rehab start was rained out on Saturday, according to Marc Lancaster of the Tampa Tribune.

Our View: He will now return Monday when the Rangers play in Anaheim. You may want to wait a few days before penciling him into your starting lineup, as he has not been hitting well in his rehab starts thus far.

Josh Hamilton will spend at least another day in the minor leagues.

News: Josh Hamilton will spend at least another day in the minor leagues. The Rangers All-Star center fielder's scheduled rehab game with Triple-A Oklahoma City was rained out Saturday. The Rangers announced during their game against Tampa Bay that Hamilton will play for the Redhawks on Sunday, delaying the slugger's return to the majors from abdominal surgery until at least Monday. Hamilton went on the disabled list June 2 and had abdominal surgery a week later. He got hurt crashing into an outfield wall making a catch May 17. That came less than a week after he came off an earlier stint on the disabled list because of a strained ribcage muscle sustained when he crashed into another wall on another catch. [...]

Josh Hamilton's scheduled rehab outing Saturday evening with

Josh Hamilton's scheduled rehab outing Saturday evening with Triple-A Oklahoma City has been rained out. Hamilton will have to play his final rehab game on Sunday, pushing his return to the Rangers to Monday. [...]

Josh Hamilton's scheduled rehab outing Saturday evening with

Josh Hamilton's scheduled rehab outing Saturday evening with Triple-A Oklahoma City has been rained out. Hamilton will have to play his final rehab game on Sunday, pushing his return to the Rangers to Monday. [...]

Josh Hamilton went 0-for-5 as the designated hitter for Triple-A

Josh Hamilton went 0-for-5 as the designated hitter for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, and is expected to play in at least one more Minor League game before he makes his return to the Rangers.

Analysis: Rangers manager Ron Washington said that Hamilton's return could come sometime next week, depending on the quality of at-bats the big guy puts up during his medical rehabilitation assignment. Hamilton has posted a .100 batting average (2-for-20) over four games so far. When Hamilton is activated, outfielder Julio Borbon is likely to be the player optioned to the Minor Leagues to make room on the 25-man roster. The Rangers already have Nelson Cruz, Marlon Byrd, David Murphy and Andruw Jones as options in the outfield.

Josh Hamilton went 0-for-5 as the designated hitter for Triple-A

Josh Hamilton went 0-for-5 as the designated hitter for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, and is expected to play in at least one more Minor League game before he makes his return to the Rangers.

Analysis: Rangers manager Ron Washington said Hamilton's return could have come as soon as Saturday against the Rays. Or it could come sometime next week, depending on the quality of at-bats Hamilton puts up during his medical rehabilitation assignment. Hamilton has posted a .100 batting average (2-for-20) over four games so far. When Hamilton is activated, outfielder Julio Borbon is likely to be the player optioned to the Minor Leagues to make room on the 25-man roster. The Rangers already have Nelson Cruz, Marlon Byrd, David Murphy and Andruw Jones as options in the outfield.

Josh Hamilton's return to the Rangers has been put on hold.

News: Josh Hamilton's return to the Rangers has been put on hold. Rangers manager Ron Washington said Friday night that the All-Star center fielder will play at least one more rehab game for Triple-A Oklahoma City as he attempts to come back from abdominal surgery. Hamilton was supposed to play the outfield Friday night at Iowa. After a rain delay, he went 0 for 5 as the designated hitter. "Hamilton was the DH because of the weather in Iowa," Washington said. "He'll be in the outfield (Saturday)." [...]

Hamilton's return put on hold

Josh Hamilton's return to the Texas Rangers has been put on hold.

Hamilton not ready yet

According to the Dallas Morning News, Josh Hamilton will not join the Rangers on Saturday as originally planned.

Our View: The Rangers want him to start at least one more game in Triple-A to complete his tuneup before rejoining the big club. He has gone just 1-for-11 in his rehab games.

General manager Jon Daniels said Hamilton (abdomen) will play

General manager Jon Daniels said Hamilton (abdomen) will play at least one more game for Triple-A Oklahoma City, the Dallas Morning News reports. [...]

Josh Hamilton (abdomen) will not return to the lineup Saturday,

Josh Hamilton (abdomen) will not return to the lineup Saturday, according to Dallas Morning News. Hamilton will play once more game in his rehab stint before being activated from the disabled list, which will likely occur on Sunday. [...]

Kyle Lohse's first rehabilitation start of his career Thursday

Kyle Lohse's first rehabilitation start of his career Thursday was a bit of a mixed bag, as he lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowed two runs on three hits, struck out three and walked four for Double-A Springfield.

Analysis: Hamilton led off and went 0-for-4, one day after going 1-for-7 for the Redhawks as the DH. He is expected to start in Oklahoma City's outfield again on Friday. The date for Hamilton's return to the Rangers is still unknown, but it could come sometime this weekend against the Rays, possibly as early as Independence Day.

Hamilton goes 0-for-4 in second rehab game

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that injured outfielder Josh Hamilton went 0-for-4 in his rehab start on Thursday. He will start in center field on Friday, and he hopes to return to the Rangers on Saturday.

Our View: Hamilton hasn't exactly been on fire during his rehab stint, but he feels like the timing is there. Assuming he makes it through tonight's start, he should be able to return this weekend. Stay tuned.

Josh Hamilton (abdomen) finished 1-for-4 Thursday in his second

Josh Hamilton (abdomen) finished 1-for-4 Thursday in his second rehabilitation game with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Hamilton is hoping to return to the Rangers on Saturday, but is just 1-for-11 in his time at Triple-A and may need a few more days of working on his swing. [...]

Josh Hamilton (torn abdominal muscle) took the next step in

Josh Hamilton (torn abdominal muscle) took the next step in his medical rehabilitation assignment on Thursday, playing an entire game in center field for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Analysis: Hamilton led off and went 0-for-4, one day after going 1-for-7 for the Redhawks as the DH. He is expected to start in Oklahoma City's outfield again on Friday. The date for Hamilton's return to the Rangers is still unknown, but it could come sometime this weekend against the Rays, possibly as early as Independence Day.

Josh Hamilton (torn abdominal muscle) took the next step in

Josh Hamilton (torn abdominal muscle) took the next step in his medical rehabilitation assignment on Thursday, playing an entire game in center field for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Analysis: Hamilton led off and went 0-for-4, one day after going 1-for-7 for the Redhawks as the designated hitter. He is expected to start in the outfield again on Friday for the final game in the Redhawks' series in Des Moines, Iowa. The date for Hamilton's return to the Rangers is still unknown, but it could come as soon as this weekend against the Rays, possibly as early as Independence Day.

Hamilton plays field, aims to return shortly

Josh Hamilton took the next step in his medical rehabilitation assignment on Thursday, playing an entire game in center field for Triple-A Oklahoma City, and he could be back as soon as this weekend.

Josh Hamilton (abdomen) went 1-for7 and struck out twice as

Josh Hamilton (abdomen) went 1-for7 and struck out twice as the designated hitter for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Hamilton is hoping to rejoin the Rangers on Saturday. [...]

Hamilton goes 1-for-7 in rehab

Josh Hamilton went 1-for-7 with a single and two strikeouts as a DH with Triple-A Oklahoma City in a rehab start tonight, according to the Associated Press. He is recovering from right abdominal surgery.

Our View: He will likely see action in the outfield with Oklahoma City Thursday, and potentially Friday as well. He remains hopeful of returning to the Rangers' lineup Saturday against the Rays.

Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton went 1 for 7 and struck out

News: Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton went 1 for 7 and struck out twice as the designated hitter for Triple-A Oklahoma City in a rehab start Wednesday night. Hamilton was expected to play center field, but the Rangers decided to play it safe with their All-Star slugger by using him as the DH in the RedHawks' 1-0 win over Iowa that went 14 innings. He singled up the middle in the 10th and struck out to end the 14th. [...]

Rangers | Hamilton targeting Saturday return

Marc Lancaster, of The Tampa Tribune, reports Texas Rangers OF Josh Hamilton (abdominal) is targeting a return Saturday, July 4, against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Analysis: Hamilton, being used at designated hitter, went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. The All-Star outfielder worked out with the Rangers on Tuesday and will join Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday in hopes of playing three games with the RedHawks. Manager Ron Washington said Hamilton is slated to start at DH Wednesday and then play in the outfield on Thursday. If all goes well, Hamilton could play Friday for Oklahoma City and then be activated on Saturday.

Ryan Raburn laced a pair of doubles and went 3-for-3 with an

Ryan Raburn laced a pair of doubles and went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run Tuesday.

Analysis: Hamilton, being used at designated hitter, went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. The All-Star outfielder worked out with the Rangers on Tuesday and will join Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday in hopes of playing three games with the RedHawks. Manager Ron Washington said Hamilton is slated to start at DH Wednesday and then play in the outfield on Thursday. If all goes well, Hamilton could play Friday for Oklahoma City and then be activated on Saturday.

Armando Galarraga was dominant despite issuing six walks Tuesday,

Armando Galarraga was dominant despite issuing six walks Tuesday, yielding only two hits and one earned run with five Ks over 6 1/3 innings to improve to 5-7. An uncharacteristically wild outing for Galarraga, who had walked only three batters combined over his last three starts. He made up for it by stymieing an overmatched Oakland lineup, giving up fewer than three earned runs in an outing for the first time since the end of April. Considering his poor 5.34 ERA and the fact that he’d allowed at least one homer in his previous 11 starts, owners should wait to see some consistency from the lanky righty before committing a rotation spot to him. He’ll look to build on Tuesday’s success when he takes the mound again on July 6 vs. the Royals. Placido Polanco (2B)Jul 01 2009, 01:47 am ET Bio | News Archive Placido Polanco poked his fifth tater and went 2-for-5 with three RBIs Tuesday.

Analysis: Hamilton, being used at designated hitter, went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. The All-Star outfielder worked out with the Rangers on Tuesday and will join Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday in hopes of playing three games with the RedHawks. Manager Ron Washington said Hamilton is slated to start at DH Wednesday and then play in the outfield on Thursday. If all goes well, Hamilton could play Friday for Oklahoma City and then be activated on Saturday.

Hamilton close to returning

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Josh Hamilton took batting practice and shagged balls before Tuesday's game and is close to returning.

Our View: Hamilton hopes to man the outfield in Wednesday's rehab game, and could rejoin the team as soon as Saturday. The Rangers will obviously play it safe with him, but barring a setback he should be in the Rangers' lineup this weekend.

Josh Hamilton shagged balls and took batting practice with his

Josh Hamilton shagged balls and took batting practice with his Rangers teammates on Tuesday and is hoping to return to the lineup Saturday. Hamilton has been sidelined since June 9 after undergoing surgery to correct a partially torn abdominal muscle. [...]

Sidelined since June 2 with a torn abdominal muscle, Josh Hamilton

Sidelined since June 2 with a torn abdominal muscle, Josh Hamilton is hoping to be back in the Rangers lineup sometime during July 4th weekend after a good first night on medical rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Frisco on Monday.

Analysis: Hamilton, being used at designated hitter, went 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. The All-Star outfielder worked out with the Rangers on Tuesday and will join Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday in hopes of playing three games with the RedHawks. Manager Ron Washington said Hamilton is slated to start at DH Wednesday and then play in the outfield on Thursday. If all goes well, Hamilton could play Friday for Oklahoma City and then be activated on Saturday.

Sidelined since June 2 with a torn abdominal muscle, Josh Hamilton

Sidelined since June 2 with a torn abdominal muscle, Josh Hamilton is hoping to be back in the Rangers lineup sometime during July 4th weekend after a good first night on medical rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Frisco on Monday.

Analysis: Hamilton, being used at designated hitter, was 1-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. The All-Star outfielder worked out with the Rangers on Tuesday, will join Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday and play three games with the RedHawks. Manager Ron Washington said Hamilton will start at DH on Wednesday and then play in the outfield on Thursday. If all goes well, Hamilton could play Friday for Oklahoma City and then be activated on Saturday.