OAKLAND, Calif. — When the season began, the Texas Rangers had more power-hitting first baseman than they knew what to do with.
Then the seemingly indestructible Prince Fielder underwent season-ending surgery May 27 to fuse two disks in his injured neck.
And on Monday in Charlotte, N.C., Mitch Moreland will undergo season-ending reconstructive surgery on his left ankle.
Moreland made the decision to have the reconstructive surgery after getting opinions from three doctors. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Moreland is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for spring training next season.
“I don’t have the exact timeline, but the expectation is he will not be back this year,” Daniels said Wednesday before the Rangers’ 4-2 loss to Oakland.
Moreland has also been plagued by hamstring and back problems. Daniels said that Moreland believes those problems stemmed from his left ankle injury.
“He’s hoping this may put an end to some of those lower body issues he’s had to fight through,” Daniels said.
With Fielder and Moreland out, the left-handed hitting Brad Snyder and righty Donnie Murphy have been platooning at first face. The Rangers also signed free agent first baseman Carlos Pena, their former first-round draft pick, on Tuesday and assigned him to Triple-A Round Rock.
Moreland will be arbitration eligible after the season, but Daniels said it’s too early to tell how his ankle injury and surgery might affect his future with the Rangers and his chances of remaining with Texas.
“It’s a little early for me to address that,” Daniels said. “Let’s see how everything plays out. Let’s see how the surgery goes, rehab goes. Let’s focus on getting him healthy right now.”