Adrian Beltre to Start Rangers' Season on DL with Calf Injury

Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre won't be with the team when its season starts Monday due to a calf injury.

Per Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Beltre will start the season on the disabled list with a strained right calf. 

Beltre originally suffered the injury during a spring training game against the Kansas City Royals on March 27.

Manager Jeff Banister discussed Beltre's injury situation Friday.

"We continue to gather information and have conversations with Adrian and the medical staff," Banister said, per MLB.com's Anthony Andro. "That's a fluid process. Let's get him through today first. We love the fact that he's got a number of at-bats throughout his career."

Beltre continued to defy Father Time in 2016. He appeared in 153 games and finished with a .300/.358/.521 slash line to go with 32 home runs and 104 runs batted in. His 6.1 WAR was fourth-highest among third baseman, according to FanGraphs.

Since signing with the Boston Red Sox in 2010, Beltre has been one of the most consistent sluggers at the hot corner. Below is a look at where he stands offensively at his position between 2010 and 2016, courtesy of FanGraphs:

Games	AVG	OBP	SLG	HR	RBI	wOBA	wRC+
1,039	.310 (2nd)	.359 (8th)	.521 (3rd)	195 (2nd)	665 (2nd)	.375 (3rd)	134 (4th)

The aging curve will eventually catch up to the five-time Gold Glove winner, and this injury could be the beginning of that.

With Beltre out, the Rangers could go with Jurickson Profar or Joey Gallo at third base to start the season.

Profar hit .239/.321/.338 in 90 games last year. Gallo, who has shown immense power throughout his minor league career, has hit just .173/.281/.368 in 53 MLB games.