ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Amidst the absence of stars Josh Hamilton (vision) and Adrian Beltre (intestinal discomfort) from Wednesday's lineup, the Texas Rangers received a bit of good news: The X-rays on reliever Tanner Scheppers' knee came back negative.

The Rangers were still awaiting the results of an MRI.

"We feel we dodged a bullet," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "It feels like we may have avoided the worst."

Said Rangers manager Ron Washington: "He'll get past it."

After making only two pitches in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's 11-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, Scheppers limped off the field, favoring his right knee. Scheppers was pulled from the game after falling awkwardly when he and the Angels' Chris Iannetta made contact at home plate following a wild pitch that allowed two runs to score.

While Scheppers held his knee and the ball bounced away, Mike Trout raced home from second to score, nearly colliding with the injured pitcher.

"He [Trout] could have wrecked me pretty good if he wanted to," Scheppers said. "I was still right on top of the plate."

Scheppers was not on crutches and appears to have avoided serious injury.

Other notes from the clubhouse:

* On the topic of Hamilton and needing good vision in baseball, Washington said: "It's dangerous. Our eyes are important in this game. Stevie [Wonder] and Ray Charles don't play baseball."

* Beltre actually experienced intestinal discomfort before Tuesday's series opener but talked his way into the designated hitter role, Washington said. Beltre, who has undergone abdominal procedures before, has a home in Los Angeles and wasn't at the ballpark Wednesday, an indication of how severe his issue is. "I don't think anyone can talk Beltre out of playing," Washington said.

*Right-hander Justin Grimm narrowly avoided injury when was struck by a line drive in the eighth inning Tuesday night. Had Kole Calhoun's liner back up the middle been just two inches higher, the ball would have nailed Grimm squarely on the left ankle bone. Instead, the ball ricocheted off the lower part of his left foot and he remained in the game. "It could have been bad," Grimm said.