SURPRISE, Ariz. — Newly acquired Texas Rangers slugger Khris Davis will miss the start of the MLB season because of a quadriceps strain suffered while running out a bunt single on Tuesday.
General manager Chris Young said Wednesday that an MRI showed that Davis has a Grade 2 quad strain and will be out three to four weeks.
The news came a day after Davis, who likely would have opened the season as the starting designated hitter, got hurt in a Cactus League game. He put down a nice bunt against the Los Angeles Angels and beat it out even though he pulled up before getting to first base.
When the Rangers open the season April 1 at Kansas City, they will be without their two leading DH candidates. Willie Calhoun is still dealing with a groin injury, though he was scheduled to take live batting practice on Wednesday in Arizona.
Texas acquired Davis in the deal that sent veteran shortstop Elvis Andrus to the Oakland Athletics just before spring training. Andrus was the lone player remaining from the Rangers’ only two World Series appearances, but the Rangers had already said Isiah Kiner-Falefa would be their starting shortstop this season.
Davis was hitting .233 in 30 spring training at-bats, but he had a two-homer game last week after a slow start this spring.
The 33-year-old Davis led the majors with 48 home runs in 2018 but has since struggled to consistently find his stroke. Now primarily a DH after once being a regular left fielder, he has hit .243 with 218 homers and 580 RBIs in 938 big league games for the A’s (2016-2020) and the Milwaukee Brewers (2013-2015).
Also on Wednesday, the Rangers said they exercised their 2022 option on manager Chris Woodward’s contract.
Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels said the move was merely a formality for the team.
“We were already committed to him beyond this year,” Daniels said.
Woodward is 100-122 in his two seasons with the Rangers, who are in a rebuilding mode with a roster full of young players.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.