TODAY: Beltre is indeed going to the DL, per a club announcement. The team activated righty Doug Fister and called up Ryan Rua.
Those moves required an additional roster spot , which was created by optioning reliever Matt Bush. That’s obviously a disappointing turn of events for Bush, who needs to iron things out after allowing nine walks in his 11 1/3 innings thus far in 2018.
YESTERDAY: The injury-plagued Rangers took yet another hit on Tuesday, as third baseman Adrian Beltre exited the team’s game against the A’s with a strained left hamstring (Twitter link via Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). A trip to the disabled list seems likely but is not official yet, Grant notes.
Beltre incurred the injury after lacing a would-be double the gap in right-center field, but he pulled up a few steps out of the batter’s box and hobbled into first base (video link via MLB.com). He walked off the field and headed to the clubhouse immediately.
As Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details, Beltre seemed dejected after the game and said he’s set for an MRI tomorrow morning. “It’s not feeling great,” he told Rangers reporters. The 39-year-old was partially spiked by former teammate Jonathan Lucroy earlier in the game but made certain to not only tell the media that his injury had nothing to do with that incident but to also take the blame for being poorly positioned: “I was standing right in the middle. It was my fault.”
A trip to the DL for Beltre would put 75 percent of the Rangers’ starting infield on the shelf. Elvis Andrus is likely to miss around eight weeks with a fracture in his right elbow after being hit by a pitch last week, and Rougned Odor is still on the disabled list with a hamstring strain of his own.
[Related: Texas Rangers depth chart]
Texas isn’t without options, of course. First baseman/left fielder Joey Gallo is a natural third baseman and could slide across the diamond, thus opening the door for regular at-bats for well-regarded prospect Ronald Guzman at first base. Renato Nunez was recently claimed off waivers from the A’s and brings a few thousand innings of minor league experience at third base to the table. Wilson speculates that perhaps a DL trip for Beltre could push Gallo to the hot corner and create an opening in left field for top prospect Willie Calhoun; in that scenario, the Rangers would be getting full-time looks at a number of important young options in Gallo, Calhoun, Guzman and Jurickson Profar.
Solaris601
Sounds like a jumpstart on the rebuild/retool. Please submit your best offer for Cole Hamels by 6/30. Odor available for your 4th best or better, and Andrus is yours for a top 10 plus assume the rest of his contract. Just giving potential scenarios based on the status quo.
its_happening
Nobody wants an overrated cancer with a massive contract in Odor. Texas will need to take on a bad contract in-return to get rid of him.
IACub
Odor is an Aquarius, I believe.
retire21
Now THAT’S funny!
RunDMC
We will take him in ATL to make an entertaining left side of the IF.
Coal tender
Can’t figure what possessed Daniels to sign that bum Odor to such a lucrative contract plus horses? Is this the same GM that signed Elvis, Choo, to monstrous contracts, and allowed to be picked clean in the transaction for “damaged goods” Fielder? If anyone needs to go that would be Daniels.
atd75167
I wouldn’t refer to Ian Kinsler as “picked clean”
He is very overrated and said he didn’t like it here anyway.
Fielder was decent when he wasn’t hurt.
The trade may have turned out better for Detroit in the end but
not the worse by far.
Any trade we’ve ever made the Brewers or Cubs would probably hold that title
lucienbel
Lol that valuation of Odor.
pturn219
Odor sucks
cvarneski
No, he stinks.
Solaris601
I was playing the role of Jon Daniels. In the case of Odor he’ll have to ask for the moon and hope to get a serviceable hot air balloon.
Fire Jon Daniels
Reason 1,293,838 to Fire Jon Daniels
xabial
Hope the future HOFer is Okay 🙁
RockHard
Willie isn’t coming up until they gain the extra year which is only a few weeks away now. Once he gets here he will hit to much to every be sent back down imo. He’s legit
thatdudetg
Steve, you forgot Kiner-Falefa in that last sentence.
baseballhobo
It is very hard to forget a name like Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
baseball lifer
I am not sure he is even worth mentioning. After all, he is a projected UTL guy at best..
glassml
Used to think the same but after watching him the past 13 games play terrific 2B and hit solid line drives over and over I’m not sure about a UTL tag just yet. Giving the 23 yr old, 2-time minor league All-Star a chance.
baseball lifer
Players with solid defense, no power, no speed, and a average (at best) hit tool are dime a dozen. Minor league baseball is loaded with players like that. Had it not be for his position flexibility he would not even be on the 40 man roster. 13 games is 13 games. But he is not a starting caliber MLB player.
thatdudetg
We’ll revisit this at the seasons end. I, like you thought the same. However, he has been impressive.
Coal tender
That boy has a future with the Rangers. Has a very efficient stroke to take bases.
leftykoufax
Get well soon Adrian.