Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre leaves Game 1 of ALDS with back injury

Adrian Beltre left Game 1 of the Rangers’ ALDS matchup with the Blue Jays with lower back stiffness.

Adrian Beltre left Game 1 of the Rangers’ ALDS matchup with the Blue Jays with lower back stiffness, the team announced.

The third baseman has a back strain, but no structural damage, reports Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Beltre has not been ruled out for Game 2 Friday afternoon.

The Rangers are flying in Joey Gallo and Ed Lucas in anticipation of Beltre being taken off the roster, but that is said to be a worst-case scenario, reports Wilson.

Beltre, 36, aggravated the injury when sliding into second base in an attempt to break up a first-inning double play. He had reportedly received treatment on his back before the game, and the slide appeared to worsen his condition. 

He stayed in the game, but appeared to be uncomfortable at the plate during a third-inning at-bat, in which he notched an RBI single for a 1–0 Texas lead. Beltre took the field in the bottom of the third, but was convinced by trainers to leave the game and shed tears as he headed to the dugout. He received back treatment afterward.

Beltre, batting third and playing third, was replaced by Hanser Alberto. Beltre hit .287 with 18 home runs and 83 RBIs in 143 games this season.

The guys rally around Beltre before being removed from the game with lower back stiffness. pic.twitter.com/aUItjLasqi

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) October 8, 2015

The Rangers led the Blue Jays 2–1 entering the fifth inning.

• SI experts make their playoff picks

- Jeremy Woo