Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre isn't eligible to come off the disabled list until April 24.
That's more than a week after Beltre was hoping to return to the lineup after a strained left quad. Beltre, who went on the DL on Sunday, was aiming for a return to action Tuesday but the club took that option away.
"I did not agree with this decision, but it was out of my hands," Beltre said. "The medical staff and the front office thought it was best. But it was out of my hands. I had no say in that."
Texas manager Ron Washington said veterans like Beltre who have dealt with injuries have more of a say in the decision but the club didn't want to risk things with its star third baseman.
"It's always difficult when you're talking to one of your best players about going on the DL," Washington said. "We did what we thought was right for Adrian and what was right for the Texas Rangers."
Although the Rangers need Beltre as soon as possible, general manager Jon Daniels isn't so sure about his timeline.
"He probably wasn't a realistic option until late this week or weekend," Daniels said. "So the decision really came down to six or seven games. It's not a risk we wanted to take at this point of the season, putting him out there compromised and with cool weather, too. I hate being without him, but we didn't want to tempt fate and risk tacking on a much longer period of time. We're hoping the extra week of rehab pays dividends."
Beltre said the quad isn't 100 percent but he also said he didn't know the last time he played at 100 percent. He's managed to play with hamstring problems over the last few years but this is the first time he's dealt with a quad injury.
"Obviously, it was a different injury that I'm accustomed to," he said. "The hamstring is what I normally deal with. I thought that I could manage it. It might be the smart idea, but I wasn't happy with the decision."
