ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers starting pitcher Derek Holland left the team’s home opener against the Houston Astros after one inning Friday with stiffness in the back of his left shoulder, and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo departed in the second inning with back spasms.
Choo left to receive treatment. He is expected to be listed as day-to-day.
The Rangers said the pain Holland experienced is not in the same area that slowed the left-hander during spring training. Making his first start of the season, Holland initially felt discomfort at the end of his warmup tosses.
Holland, who was held back in the rotation so he could start the home opener at Globe Life Park, gave up a single up the middle on the first pitch to Astros second baseman Jose Altuve.
After Altuve was picked off second base following a sacrifice bunt, shortstop Jed Lowrie blasted a home run off the top of the left-field fence and into the stands for a 1-0 lead.
Holland, whose fastball was registering just under 90 mph on the scoreboard speed gun, then got Chris Carter to fly out to end the inning. Seven of the nine pitches Holland threw went for strikes. Neither manager Jeff Banister nor pitching coach Mike Maddux made a mound visit.
The Rangers can ill afford to lose Holland for very long. Already without ace Yu Darvish for the season following recent Tommy John surgery, Holland and newly acquired Yovani Gallardo are expected to carry a pitching staff that the Rangers hoped would be their strong suit as they try to bounce back from a 2014 season in which they finished last in the American League West.