Like an old cartoon character, the Angels can't seem to take more than a couple of steps this season without an anvil falling on their heads.
Vladimir Guerrero was making just his second start in right field this season Tuesday when he suffered a leg injury that knocked him out of the game. Guerrero had been limited to DH for the first half of the season and spent 35 games of it on the disabled list with a torn pectoral muscle near his right arm that inhibited his throwing. But Guerrero was cleared to play the outfield Sunday and was there in the eighth inning Tuesday when Elvis Andrus singled to right. With Jarrod Saltalamacchia going from first to third, Guerrero fielded the ball and set to make a throw. That's when his left leg "just tightened up on him," according to manager Mike Scioscia.
Guerrero went down to his knees and eventually left the game. The preliminary diagnosis is a strained muscle behind his left knee. The problem does not appear to involve any knee ligaments. Guerrero had surgery on his right knee last October.
"This will obviously be a setback if he's not able to get back into the lineup quickly," Scioscia said. "But we're going to take it one step at a time."
Guerrero will be re-evaluated by Dr. Lewis Yocum on Wednesday, but Scioscia said he will not play against the Rangers. How long he might be out remains to be seen.
"How long it takes for Vlad to heal is how long it takes," Scioscia said. "There's not a lot we can do at this point. We're going to have to evaluate it and see."
RANGERS 8, ANGELS 5: The Rangers rode a fifth-inning meltdown by Angels RHP John Lackey to their sixth victory in eight games against the Angels this season. Lackey had a 3-0 lead and retired the first two batters in the fifth inning, but the next seven all reached base and the Rangers scored six times. The biggest hit was Andruw Jones' three-run homer. The loss dropped the Angels back into a first-place tie with the Rangers.
Watch the 2009 MLB All-Star Game, July 14 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX
