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The nightmare season for Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo continued -- and possibly ended -- on Monday. In the fifth inning in Oakland, Choo was hit by a pitch in the left forearm. The Rangers have already announced that there's a fracture and Choo will be placed on the disabled list.

The Rangers haven't yet said which bone is fractured or how long Choo might be out, but it's a fracture in the arm and seven weeks from now, the regular season is over. It's not a huge leap to say "out for the rest of the regular season" is on the table here.

Shin-Soo Choo has had a rough season. USATSI

This marks the fourth DL stint of the season for Choo. We can add the forearm fracture to calf, hamstring and back injuries.

In only 198 plate appearances in 45 games, Choo is hitting .247/.369/.416 with seven doubles, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 27 runs and six steals. Note the OBP, runs and steals. Choo still has value as a table-setter.

Given that they've been dealing with Choo injured for much of the year, the Rangers will be able to absorb this. Delino DeShields, Ryan Rua (recently sent down, but he can come back thanks to an injury to Choo) and even Jurickson Profar could handle left field. Nomar Mazara is usually the right fielder, but he could swing over to left in order to plug Carlos Beltran in right field instead of at DH, too.

There are plenty of options, especially with Profar in the super-utility role and Mazara's ability to swing back and forth. Manager Jeff Banister won't have a set starting lineup and will instead mix and match on a per-game basis.

As for Choo, if he does miss time into late September, it will be hard to work himself back into game shape in time for the playoff -- presuming the rangers make it. Once the minor-league seasons start to end in early September, Choo won't be able to ready himself with a minor-league rehab assignment.

Choo, 34, is in the third year of a seven-year, $130 million deal.