Shayne Kelley has been hired by Texas as an assistant, and part of his duties will be to support the troubled Hamilton, according to ESPN.
The hire comes after Hamilton had a relapse in Dallas the week before.
Last Monday, it was reported that Hamilton had been in a bar where he had been drinking throughout the night after struggling for years to battle addiction from drugs and alcohol. Later that week, Hamilton apologized for his behavior.
Kelley is set to replace Johnny Narron, who was Hamilton’s “accountability partner” while they were in Texas. Narron left the Rangers to become the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Rangers star has already started working with Kelley, as the two went to New York where Hamilton met with two doctors to discuss his recent setback.
Hamilton’s road has been well documented. Starting out as the No. 1 pick in 1999 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Hamilton fell into problems with drugs and alcohol. His addictions forced him out of baseball for three years before eventually making his way back in 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds.
After being trading to the Rangers in 2008, Hamilton became one of the best players in baseball, being named to four straight all-star games and winning the 2010 MVP. He has also been a vital part in the Rangers consecutive AL pennant victories.
His relapse last week was his second public relapse since 2009, where Hamilton was discovered drinking heavily in an Arizona bar.
