Angels shortstop Erick Aybar, who underwent an MRI last Friday which revealed a sports hernia, has been ruled out for the season by the club today, per Dan Woike and Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:
Aybar said he first injured himself last week some time and continued to play. He aggravated the injury trying to make a diving play on Indians leadoff hitter Michael Brantley’s single in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game. When he tried taking batting practice before Thursday’s game, the discomfort continued and he was scratched from the lineup.
Aybar will meet this week in Dallas with Dr. John Preskitt, who performed the surgery to repair Torii Hunter’s sports hernia last season. Hunter missed six and a half weeks in 2009 with the same malady.
Aybar hit .254/.306/.333 with a career-high 20 stolen bases in 132 games this season. He is one of several Angels who will be eligible for arbitration this offseason.