Rangers lose Shin-Soo Choo to forearm fracture

The Athletics aren’t the only AL West team about to potentially lose a veteran for the remainder of the season. On Monday night, Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo suffered a far less gradual injury than Jed Lowrie’s bunion, with a far less ambiguous fate.

“A gut punch,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister called it after his lead-off hitter was pegged in the arm by Athletics pitcher Ross Detweiler. Choo left the game with his fourth injury of the season.

In April, Choo, while also suffering from a back strain, received a plasma injection for a grade three calf strain to quicken his recovery. Twenty four hours after returning to the lineup in late May, he tweaked his hamstring and went back to the 15-day DL. It’s been a battle for Choo this season, and the 34-year-old outfielder has only a .184 BA and .547 OPS since the All-Star break to show for it. Now with a broken arm, his season is in all likelihood over.

Texas had an outfielder at Triple A Round Rock, Ryan Rua, yanked from a start last night and have promoted him to the big club in response to the news. Rua had been optioned to the minors following Drew Stubbs’ return from the disabled list earlier in August. Rua, after 229 major league PA this season, slashed .266/.341/.414 with 7 HR, 7 2B, and 7 SB. However, he lacks Choo’s abilities as a lead-off man, a role the Rangers may have a hard time filling in Choo’s absence.

Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland seemed to voice the general sentiment to Choo’s departure following an injury-riddled year.