ARLINGTON, TEXAS (AP) - American League MVP Josh Hamilton is set to start taking batting practice Friday, a month and a day after getting hurt.
The Texas Rangers said Monday that their slugger will take BP before the opener of a weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels provided he keeps progressing in his recovery from a broken bone in his upper right arm.
Also on Monday, injured right-handed starters Tommy Hunter, Scott Feldman and Brandon Webb had throwing sessions away from Rangers Ballpark.
Hamilton started taking soft toss and some swings off a tee with a lighter fungo bat last week, and took a few swings with his game bat for the first time Sunday. He has also been running the bases, catching flyballs and making throws without any problems.
Hamilton got hurt on a headfirst dive into home plate April 12. The Rangers said then that he would be out six to eight weeks and wouldn’t swing a bat for up to a month.
Hunter (right groin strain) threw 79 pitches in a rehabilitation assignment for Triple-A Round Rock, giving up an unearned run over six innings before feeling discomfort in his groin on his last pitch.
Team physician Dr. Keith Meister evaluated Hunter on Monday night after the pitcher returned to Arlington. The Rangers said Hunter has “localized soreness” in his groin and will have an MRI on Tuesday.
Feldman, still recovering from right knee surgery in November, pitched 4 1-3 innings in an extended spring training game in Arizona. The right-hander will return to Texas for a side session and could be sent on a rehab assignment by the weekend.
Webb threw a bullpen session without any issues at extended spring training. He was scratched Thursday from an extended spring training start to work on mechanics. The former NL Cy Young Award winner, who signed with Texas this winter, hasn’t pitched in a major league game since the 2009 season opener for Arizona because of right shoulder surgery.
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