Minor-league rehab assignments are limited to 20 days, in part so that teams can’t simply stash veteran players in the minors indefinitely. In some cases, however, an injury lingers longer than 20 days and things become tricky.
That’s happening with Mariners outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, whose hamstring injury remains an issue after 20 days in the minors. Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times reports that he’ll be examined by a doctor and then the Mariners will petition MLB for the right to have Gutierrez begin a second 20-day rehab assignment.
All of which seems mostly like a formality--MLB isn’t going to force Gutierrez to return from the disabled list when he’s clearly not fully healthy--but the bigger point is that injuries continue to wreck the once-promising center fielder’s career.
