ARLINGTON, Texas _ Carlos Gomez's sprained right ankle was strapped into a protective boot Sunday, he was using crutches to keep weight off the joint, and the Texas Rangers don't know when he will be able to return to their lineup.
The center fielder was injured as he left the batter's box early in Saturday's game. He left immediately with assistance from manager Jeff Banister and athletic trainer Kevin Harmon.
Gomez said that he is to use the boot and crutches for two days before getting another diagnosis from the medical staff. Delino DeShields returned to center field, where he played regularly last month while Gomez was out with a cyst.
"There's nothing I can do right now," Gomez said. "Just try to recover as fast as I can and see how fast I can be available again."
His injury is the latest blow to the Rangers' lineup, which might be without third baseman Adrian Beltre for the rest of the season. Catcher Robinson Chirinos is playing with a strained left hamstring.
Beltre and Gomez had been batting fourth. Manager Jeff Banister resorted to putting the .193-hitting Mike Napoli in the cleanup spot in the finale against New York Yankees left-hander Jordan Montgomery.
Napoli was batting slightly better against lefties, at .202, but with a .481 slugging percentage. He entered with 29 homers this season.
