Murphy’s injury leaves Texas Rangers at a loss

ARLINGTON — The Texas Rangers might be able to handle the loss of C.J. Wilson because they have Eddie Guardado.

But who do they have to replace David Murphy?

They’re going to have to find out now as the rookie outfielder is headed to the disabled list after straining his right posterior cruciate ligament in Wednesday’s 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees.

"That’s going to kill us," Rangers outfielder Marlon Byrd said. "He’s one of our big bats. We have four All-Stars. He’s an All-Star in my book. He’s a guy that’s going to be sorely missed."

The initial prognosis from Dr. Keith Meister is that Murphy will miss two to four weeks. He will have an MRI on the knee today.

Murphy was injured in a second-inning home plate collision with Yankees catcher Pudge Rodriguez. Murphy was trying to put the Rangers up 3-0 when he and Rodriguez collided after a throw from right fielder Bobby Abreu. While Rodriguez was forced to leave the game with a bruised knee, Murphy went back out in the field for the top of the third.

But once the adrenaline from the play wore off, the knee started to hurt. Murphy left the game and was replaced by Brandon Boggs.

"I’m trying to be optimistic about it," said Murphy, who also had a blackened right eye. "It doesn’t feel great right now. I felt at the time I could stay in, but I think I had so much adrenaline going and that sort of thing. Once I got out of the game, it kind of got worse throughout. It doesn’t feel terrible, but it doesn’t feel playable at this moment."

While Murphy is holding out hope that he won’t have to go on the DL, the decision has been made. Manager Ron Washington said the Rangers would call up an outfielder today. He also said that Milton Bradley won’t be available to play in the field in the series finale against the Yankees.

Murphy this season has hit .275 with 15 home runs and 74 RBI. The RBI total is second on the Rangers and was the eighth most in the American League coming into Wednesday’s game.

"He’s been one of our hottest hitters the past two to 2 1/2 weeks," Washington said. "As always, we’ll make an adjustment. We have to. We don’t have a choice in the matter."

Murphy’s loss overshadowed the Rangers’ failed bid to win three consecutive games against the Yankees. Rookie Tommy Hunter allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings and was replaced by rookie right-hander Warner Madrigal, who was the star of the game.

Madrigal came on trailing 5-2 and pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave the Rangers a chance to rally, but they couldn’t against Sidney Ponson and four Yankees relievers.

"I felt good and relaxed out there," said Madrigal, who has a 2.31 ERA in his last eight appearances. "I kept the ball down and focused on every pitch to have the ball down in the zone."