Josh Hamilton might have just watched his baseball career come to an end. The Texas Rangers announced on Friday that they have released Hamilton from his Minor League contract. According to team sources, Josh injured his right knee while he was recovering from left knee surgery. t the age of 35, Hamilton might have played the last baseball of his career.
Josh Hamilton injury problems
After becoming a star with the Texas Rangers and helping lead them to two straight World Series appearances, Josh Hamilton signed a lucrative deal to join the Los Angeles Angles.
However, his contract with Los Angeles never paid off as Hamilton started suffering multiple injuries. Hamilton signed a five-year deal worth $125 million and played in 151 games in 2013, hitting .250 with 21 home runs.
However, in 2014, Josh Hamilton struggled, hitting only .263 with 10 home runs and the Angels fans began to boo him. In 2015, Josh underwent shoulder surgery to repair an AC joint. He relapsed with alcohol and the Angels owner demanded he be traded. Los Angeles traded him back to the Texas Rangers but still had to pay almost his entire contract.
Josh Hamilton never played a regular role with the Rangers in his second stint there. He has undergone three surgeries now since 2015 and 11 total in his career as a baseball player.
Last June, Hamilton underwent reconstructive surgery on the left knee and now he has injured his right knee, which is said to be "significant."
The legacy of Josh Hamilton
If Josh Hamilton never plays another inning of baseball, his legacy will be a very interesting one. He is a cautionary tale for young baseball players. The Tampa Bay Rays selected him with the first overall pick in the 1999 MLB Draft and he was one of the top stars in the Minors upon arrival.
However, after a car accident, Josh became addicted to prescription medication which then turned to alcohol and eventually hardcore drugs. Major League Baseball suspended him and he was out for three years.
In 2006, Hamilton started his return and played for the Cincinnati Reds. By 2008, Josh Hamilton signed with the Texas Rangers and became one of the biggest stars in baseball.
While he had a pair of minor relapses with alcohol, Hamilton has remained straight since his emergence in Texas. He was an All-Star for five straight years, helped the Rangers make it to two World Series appearances, and won the MLB MVP in 2008. Michael Young put it best when he tweeted that Hamilton was "the best baseball player I've ever seen."