Hamilton (knee) is back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Astros, playing left field and batting eighth, per Rangers VP of Communications John Blake.

Hamilton had been seeing occasional pinch-hitting appearances since his activation Sept. 1, but this will be his first start Aug. 15. He's hitting late enough in the order to worry he's not 100 percent yet, but the Rangers are going to want him considering how near they are to closing out the division.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is back in the lineup Saturday against the Houston Astros after being limited to pinch-hit duties following his recovery from a knee injury.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is back in the lineup Saturday against the Houston Astros after being limited to pinch-hit duties following his recovery from a knee injury. Hamilton was activated from the disabled list Sept. 1, and Saturday's start will be his first since Aug. 15.

Manager Jeff Banister said Friday that Hamilton (knee) is "getting real close to being more than just a pinch hitter," the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Hamilton said he thinks he will be able to play left field again before the end of the regular season, something he feels is necessary to convince the team that he can contribute regularly in the playoffs. The 34-year-old struck out for the final out of the sixth inning Sunday in his second pinch-hit appearance undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery Sept. 11.

Hamilton (knee) was running to first base during batting practice Wednesday, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Hamilton continues to recover from a left knee issue that's kept him sidelined since mid-September. While it sounds as though he's making significant progress, there's still no concrete timetable for his return at this point.

Hamilton underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Friday, Rangers VP of Comm. John Blake reports.

No setbacks were reported during the procedure, so it seems it went off without a hitch. The Rangers are hoping Hamilton will be able to return this season, but there is currently no timeline for his return.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Friday, according to the team's official website.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Friday, according to the team's official website. There is no word as to whether Hamilton will be able to return this season.

Hamilton will have a procedure Friday to clean up his knee with the hopes of returning before the end of the season, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Evan Grant reports.

While the Rangers are being optimistic about Hamilton returning this season, his track record of serious knee issues should give owners pause. Even if he is able to return, his recent production, or lack thereof, should also be enough of a detractor for most owners to leave him on waivers.

Hamilton (knee) was activated from the DL on Tuesday.

This was widely anticipated, but unfortunately the anticipation is also that Hamilton will primarily be used in a pinch-hitting role going forward. Chronic knee issues have been a major issue for Hamilton over the past couple seasons, and after acquiring Will Venable the Rangers no longer need Hamilton to play everyday.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday after recovering from a knee injury, according to the team's official website.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday after recovering from a knee injury, according to the team's official website. Hamilton will serve primarily as a pinch hitter for the rest of the season due to his chronic knee problems and the acquisition of Will Venable to play left field.

Hamilton (knee) will likely be activated from the 15-day DL on Tuesday but will be relegated to a pinch-hitting role, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Hamilton has been dealing with right knee inflammation since mid-August and while there has been some improvement, he's not ready to run at this point. He's unlikely to take over at DH for the Rangers with Prince Fielder firmly entrenched in that role, so Hamilton will realistically serve as a bat off the bench in most cases once he's activated.

Hamilton (knee) took batting practice Friday, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Hamilton landed on the disabled list after battling inflammation in his left knee, but he appears to be progressing well. He'll first be eligible to be activated Monday, though with rosters expanding the day after that, the Rangers may wait until Tuesday to bring back the 34-year-old.

Hamilton (knee) has been placed on the disabled list, retroactive to August 16.

Hamilton has been battling inflammation in his left knee for the past few days, and he has not played since Saturday. With the short-term outlook apparently rather bleak, Hamilton will head to the DL, and the Rangers activated Will Venable to fill Hamilton's roster spot.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has missed six of the last eight games with left knee inflammation, was placed on the disabled list Thursday, according to the team's official website.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has missed six of the last eight games with left knee inflammation, was placed on the disabled list Thursday, according to the team's official website. The move is retroactive to Aug. 16 because Hamilton has not played since Saturday. Hamilton has only played two full seasons since 2009 because of injuries. He has played just 38 games this season after being traded to the Rangers in late April by the Angels. He began the season on the disabled list with a shoulder injury and never played for the Angels. He also suffered a relapse in the offseason with his drug addiction, which hurt his relationship with Los Angeles. With the Rangers, he is hitting .254 with six home runs and 21 runs batted in. The Rangers will fill Hamilton's roster spot with outfielder Will Venable.

Hamilton (knee) admitted that a DL stint may be required, the team's web site reports.

A cortisone shot earlier did little to improve the situation, making a trip to the DL much more likely after Texas acquired Wil Venable earlier in the week.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has missed six of the last eight games with a knee injury, said Wednesday he might have to go on the disabled list, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who has missed six of the last eight games with a knee injury, said Wednesday he might have to go on the disabled list, according to the Dallas Morning News. A recent cortisone shot has not helped heal the injury, and the recent acquisition of Will Venable makes the Rangers likely to give Hamilton a backdated stint on the disabled list rather than continuing to wait on him.

Hamilton (knee) is aiming to return to the Rangers' lineup on Thursday in Detroit, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Gerry Fraley reports. "Right now, we're thinking about taking two, three days and letting it calm down, get treatment on it and see where we are from there," Hamilton said Tuesday.

Hamilton was not in Tuesday's lineup and is also expected to miss Wednesday's game, and given his injury history, his absence could stretch into the weekend. Ryan Strausborger, who is getting the start Tuesday, figures to be deployed in left field in the short term, with Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo also represent replacement options at Triple-A.

Hamilton (knee) is out of the lineup Tuesday against Seattle.

Hamilton has been battling knee soreness and will miss his third straight game Tuesday when the Rangers take on Hisashi Iwakuma and the Mariners. It's unclear how much longer Hamilton will be sidelined, but Ryan Strausborger appears to be the leading candidate to fill in in left field in his absence as he will make another start there Tuesday.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is hoping to return from his knee injury Thursday against the Detroit Tigers, according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is hoping to return from his knee injury Thursday against the Detroit Tigers, according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Hamilton last played Saturday and has been temporarily replaced in the lineup by Ryan Stausborger. "Right now, we're thinking about taking two, three days and letting it calm down, get treatment on it and see where we are from there," Hamilton said Tuesday. The Rangers acquired Wil Venable from the San Diego Padres on Tuesday to bolster their outfield depth rather than recall Joey Gallo or promote Nomar Mazara from Triple-A. Hamilton has been limited to 38 games due to injury, posting a .254 batting average with six home runs, 21 RBI and 40 strikeouts in 142 at-bats. “We do want the guy in our lineup for the long haul,” manager Jeff Banister said. “I think we’re being prudent in giving him an opportunity to let the knee calm down.” Banister added the team does not believe a disabled list stint is necessary and they prefer to have Hamilton available as a pinch-hit option.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is not in the lineup for the third consecutive game Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners because of a knee injury, according to the team's official website.

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is not in the lineup for the third consecutive game Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners because of a knee injury, according to the team's official website. Hamilton has dealt with issues with his knee for most of the season, and he does not have a timetable for return despite undergoing an MRI last week which showed no structural damage. “I feel like every time I’m close to where I want to be, something else comes up,” Hamilton said, adding that the discomfort he has felt in his knee of late is a bit worse than what he dealt with earlier this season. Hamilton is hitting .254/.296/.430 with six home runs in just 38 games this season after being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in April following issues stemming from an admitted relapse involving drugs of abuse.

Hamilton (knee) is still dealing with soreness in his left knee, which is why he's out of the lineup Monday, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Hamilton received an injection in the knee last week, but it's still sore, so he'll remain out of action for the second straight day. Hamilton will be available as a pinch hitter, however, indicating that he isn't likely to miss extended time or require a stint on the DL.