Moreland hurts hamstring, heads to Texas for MRI

BOSTON -- The Rangers are sending first baseman Mitch Moreland back to Texas for an MRI exam on his right hamstring muscle. Moreland left the Rangers' game with the Red Sox on Wednesday night in the seventh inning with tightness in the muscle.

Moreland is day to day, and it's not the hamstring that kept him on the disabled list for over a month last year. The Rangers want him to be examined by Dr. Keith Meister.

"It's not like it was [last year]," Moreland said. "But it got a little stiff in an important part of the game. It was a big run and we were trying to be safe with it."

Moreland, with the score 1-1, injured the leg running the bases on a leadoff double into the right-field corner. He immediately came out of the game for pinch-runner Jeff Baker.

"Anytime you get hurt in a game, it doesn't sound good," manager Ron Washington said. "We'll just see how it is tomorrow."

Baker and Lance Berkman could play first base if Moreland is out for only a few days and doesn't need to go on the disabled list. If he does, the Rangers may consider bringing up Mike Olt from Triple-A Round Rock, even though he has been active less than a week after missing a month with blurred vision.

Moreland missed 31 games last season with a strained left hamstring, and was on the DL from June 20-July 29. He entered the night hitting .282 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs in 57 games.