JOSH LIEBESKIND
Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — Texas Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo is scheduled for surgery to remove a bone spur from his left elbow and will miss the rest of the season.
Choo was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, and the Rangers recalled outfielder Michael Choice from Triple-A Round Rock. Choice was expected to arrive in Seattle before Monday night’s game against the Mariners.
The operation is set for Sept. 15, but it could be moved up to Friday if Choo’s illness subsides. He did not travel with the team to Seattle because of a virus that kept him out of Sunday’s game against Kansas City, prompting the Mariners to put him on the DL.
“By the end of October, he would be 100 percent and have a completely normal … offseason,” general manager Jon Daniels said, explaining why the last-place Rangers didn’t want to wait until after the season. “We want everything, from a health standpoint, we want 100 percent for 2015.”
The 32-year-old Choo struggled in his first season with Texas after signing a $130 million, seven-year contract when he was a free agent last winter. He batted .242 with 13 home runs and 40 RBIs in 123 games.
He has also played through an ankle injury as well as the elbow issue, which hurt him on long throws from the outfield, Daniels said. Choo appeared in only 75 games in the outfield and made 44 starts at designated hitter.
The arthroscopic procedure will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister, the Rangers’ team physician.
Choice started the season with Texas and batted .177 with eight homers and 28 RBIs in 69 games before he was optioned to Round Rock on July 7.
Earlier in the day, the Rangers selected the contract of catcher Tomas Telis from Round Rock. He joined the team in Seattle and was looking to make his big league debut.
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