Angels' Valbuena out 4-6 weeks with hamstring strain
The Los Angeles Angels announced that infielder Luis Valbuena will be out for four-to-six weeks with a hamstring strain.
Valbuena was pulled from Wednesday's spring training game citing hamstring tightness. The 31-year-old third baseman had hamstring surgery on the same leg last August and an MRI on Thursday confirmed that Valbuena had a Grade 1 strain.
Valbuena signed a two-year deal worth $15 million with the Angels this past offseason that includes a mutual option for 2019. In 342 plate appearances last year with the Astros, Valbuena posted an .816 OPS.
The injury to Valbuena settles a pretty crowded infield situation for the Angels. In all likelihood, this makes C.J. Cron the everyday first baseman and Yunel Escobar the everyday third baseman heading into the season.