The team’s doctors visited Hamilton in Houston on Thursday and signed off on the oft-injured outfielder’s health, according to the Star-Telegram. With that hurdle cleared, there’s a “good chance” Hamilton will get a minor-league deal with the Rangers and an invitation to big-league spring training.
MORE: Worst free agent signings ever
The 2010 American League MVP had two professional at-bats last season, both in a rehab game with Double-A Frisco on April 30. He was recovering from a knee injury at the time and ended up having surgery in May to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. It was the third surgery on his left knee in 10 months.
Texas released Hamilton in August in a procedural move but indicated at the time it would be open to a reunion. He is entering the final season of a five-year, $125 million deal signed with the Angels in December 2012. That contract will pay him $28.4 million in 2017, but the Angels are on the hook for all but about $2 million of it.
MORE: Don’t be shocked by huge MLB contracts
Anything the Rangers could possibly squeeze out of Hamilton would just be a bonus for the team, which is set in the outfield with Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Gomez and Nomar Mazara. Reports Friday indicated a reunion with Mike Napoli could be in the offing, and manager Jeff Banister still needs to find at-bats for Joey Gallo somewhere, so the roster is a bit crowded.
But it won’t cost the Rangers much to see if Hamilton is finally healthy enough to bear some resemblance to the man who for a brief time was one of the most feared hitters in the game.
