TEMPE, Ariz. -- First baseman Luis Valbuena departed the Angels' 7-4 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday with right hamstring tightness, manager Mike Scioscia said.
Valbuena played three innings at first before he was replaced by prospect Matt Thaiss in the top of the fourth. Scioscia said Valbuena exited for precautionary reasons and will be evaluated.
"Hopefully it won't be anything serious," Scioscia said.
Valbuena underwent season-ending surgery to repair a tendon in his right hamstring in August and also missed two weeks earlier in camp with leg soreness. The 31-year-old infielder signed a two-year, $15 million deal with the Angels over the winter and was projected to be the club's Opening Day first baseman.
If Valbuena is not ready to start the season, the Angels could deploy C.J. Cron at first base.
Before Valbuena's departure, it looked as though the Angels had put together their probable Opening Day lineup for the first time this spring. The Angels' original batting order Wednesday was: 3B Yunel Escobar, RF Kole Calhoun, CF Michael Trout, DH Jose Pujols, 1B Valbuena, LF Cameron Maybin, 2B Danny Espinosa, C Martin Maldonado and SS Andrelton Simmons.
"I'm not going to say it's the Opening Day lineup, but I think these are the guys that obviously are very important to us," Scioscia said before the game.