Texas Rangers release Josh Hamilton
By Paul Myron
The Texas Rangers have released Josh Hamilton, who is set to undergo another knee surgery.
The Texas Rangers have announced that they have released Josh Hamilton from his minor-league contract.
Hamilton injured his right knee while rehabbing his left knee and will undergo surgery to repair it. A five-time All Star, Hamilton has not played since 2015 due to a slew of knee issues.
He released a statement in which he expressed hope and gratitude toward the Rangers:
"“I am disappointed but not discouraged that my knee problems have not allowed me to play this season,” Hamilton said in a statement. “I plan to have surgery on my right knee and then evaluate the situation. I want to thank the Rangers and all of the great fans for the support and encouragement. I really appreciate it.”"
Hamilton has had one of the most chaotic careers of any player in recent memory. The Rays drafted him first overall in 1999, but he would never appear in a Tampa Bay uniform. He battled a massive drug problem and even attempted suicide by overdosing.
The Cubs eventually drafted Hamilton in the 2006 Rule 5 Draft. The Reds then purchased Hamilton from the Cubs. He eventually made his Major League debut and appeared in 90 games for the Reds before getting traded to the Rangers in the winter of 2007.
Hamilton flourished in Texas. He made five straight All-Star teams from 2008-2012 and won the American League MVP in 2010.
After the 2013 season, Hamilton signed a five-year, $125 million deal with the Angels. Unfortunately, his career took a massive downturn in Los Angeles. He only played two years with Los Angeles, hitting .255/.316/.426. Worse, he relapsed on his drug addiction, causing turmoil among between him and the Angels’ front office.
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The Angels traded Hamilton back to the Rangers in April 2015, with Los Angeles picking up nearly all of his $28 million salary for that season. He would play just 50 games in his second stint with the Rangers before the knee problems virtually ended his career.