Milwaukee Brewers slugger Eric Thames left in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s game with the Cincinnati Reds after experiencing tightness in his hamstring.
His manager Craig Counsell told the media following the game, which Milwaukee won 9-4, that Thames’ injury was not any big deal.
Counsell said the hamstring had tightened during the day and said it could be caused by the player being on-base so often, which means he has been running the bases, scoring on a hit from first based and that adds up to a great deal of base running.
In the game, Thames singled once and walked while scoring twice. He told reporters after the game he would start for Milwaukee on Friday when the Brewers open a series with the Atlanta Braves.
There has been some controversy surrounding Thames early this season. After he hit his 11th home run on Tuesday, he was submitted to a second random drug test since the regular season started.
This is the first season in Major League Baseball for Thames since 2012. He spent the last three seasons playing in South Korea and was clear he did not have anything to hide.
He told the media he took the long route to return to the majors and his power is even surprising to him. He just wants to play ball and apply the things he learned why playing in Korea.
He added that if people continue to think he is taking something that he would be around every day and has plenty of urine and blood.
In 2011, Thames hit 12 home runs, which is his career high for a season. After he homered April 17 versus the Chicago Cubs, Cubs personnel seemed to question publicly if the power Thames is showing was authentic.
John Lackey, a veteran pitcher for the Cubs, said you watch current video of Thames to attempt to find the way to retire him at the plate, but a home run he hit to the opposite field is not seen often and makes one start to think.
Thames became a power hitter while in South Korea where he hit 37 home runs or more each of the three seasons he played there.
With the pace he is currently hitting home runs he would hit 89 for the season.
