Beltre recognizes DL stint is 'probably smart'

ARLINGTON -- Adrian Beltre said that it was "probably smart" to go on the disabled list with a strained left quad muscle. But that doesn't mean he was happy with the Rangers' decision.

"I was planning to play tomorrow, but it was out of my hands," Beltre said before Monday's game against the Mariners. "I did not agree with the decision, but it was out of my hands. Obviously, the medical staff and the front office thought it was for the best."

The Rangers placed Beltre on the disabled list before Sunday's game retroactive to April 9. He is eligible to come off on April 24, which is an off-day before the Rangers open a three-game series with the Mariners in Seattle.

"It's always difficult to talk to one of your best players about going on the disabled list," manager Ron Washington said. "We want to be careful. We did what we thought was right for him and the Texas Rangers."

Kevin Kouzmanoff is filling at third base while Beltre is out.

"He probably wasn't a realistic option until late this week or weekend," general manager Jon Daniels said of Beltre. "So the decision really came down to six or seven games. It's not a risk we wanted to take at this point of the season, putting him out there compromised, and with cool weather, too. I hate being without him, but we didn't want to tempt fate and risk tacking on a much longer period of time. We're hoping the extra week of rehab pays dividends."

Beltre has dealt with hamstring problems in the past, but this is the first time he has had a quad problem. He missed a week in Spring Training when the quad was bothering him, and the problem came up against last Tuesday in Boston.

The time on the disabled list should help the recovery and allow him to figure out a way to manage the issue. But he doesn't expect to be 100 percent when he comes off the disabled list next week.

"The last time I was 100 percent was 50 years ago," said Beltre, who turned 35 the day before he re-injured the muscle in Boston.