The American League-leading Texas Rangers receive a shot in the arm tonight, as slugger Josh Hamilton returns to the lineup against the Oakland A's.
Hamilton's bat returns after the power hitter missed five starts in series against division opponents the Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners. He was pulled in the fourth inning of the Rangers' game on Sept. 18, after suffering from blurry vision initially blamed on sinus problems.
Curiously, the club now says Hamilton's condition was ocular keratitis, which is blurred vision caused by "too much caffeine and sports drinks," according to Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas.
Regardless of the cause, the lefty returns to open the series against Oakland, who currently trails Texas by four games in the A.L. West division. Hamilton has hit .287 this season, including a team-leading 42 home runs and 123 RBI. Before his departure, he was hitting just .231 in the month of September.
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