The Rangers announced this afternoon that they’ve activated Hunter Pence from the injured list and optioned outfielder Willie Calhoun to Triple-A Nashville to open a spot on the roster. Texas has also selected the contract of right-hander Taylor Guerrieri and placed left-hander Jesse Biddle on the injured list due to shoulder fatigue.
As Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News relays (via Twitter), Calhoun was rather blindsided by the move. “I’m speechless,” Calhoun said after learning of his demotion. “I’ve helped the team win. If me playing every day at Nashville helps team win, then I guess I have to play every day in Nashville.”
Calhoun has indeed been a generally productive bat with Texas, hitting .277/.313/.489 with five big flies in 99 plate appearances. At the same time, he’s struggled mightily to get on base in his latest stint with the team. Since being summoned from Nashville on June 17, Calhoun has homered three times and smacked four doubles in 75 PAs, but he’s also batted just .225/.267/.408 on the whole. He’s walked more than he’s punched out so far in Nashville in 2019, so perhaps a quick trip back down to the minors can help him to bring some of that approach to the MLB level.
That said, Calhoun also seems like a casualty of a roster that simply has too many outfielders at the moment. Delino DeShields Jr. is hitting .326/.377/.442 since his own recall from Triple-A. Joey Gallo (.266/.406/.626) has been sensational all season long. Pence (.294/.363/.608) and fellow veteran Shin-Soo Choo (.291/.389/.508) are both highly productive veterans. Nomar Mazara may not have lived up to his considerable prospect billing yet, but he’s outhit Calhoun over the past couple of months nonetheless (.276/.327/.454 in his past 40 games).
Calhoun seems likely to return in the event of an injury or trade elsewhere in the outfield, and it’s at least possible that the organization takes this demotion as an opportunity to continue getting him some work in the infield. Texas has reportedly been working Calhoun out at second base and even third base of late, and if that experiment continues into game settings in the minors, it’d only enhance his versatility at the MLB level. Calhoun does have extensive experience as a second baseman in the minors, but he was moved to the outfield due to defensive concerns.
As for Guerrieri, the former first-round pick (Rays, 2011) and top prospect will get his first shot with the Rangers after notching a 3.47 ERA, 9.7 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 36 1/3 innings with the team’s Nashville affiliate. He did throw 9 2/3 frames with the Blue Jays in his first big league action last year, allowing five runs on nine hits and four walks with eight strikeouts.
Man poor Willie, granted he hasen’t a ton recently, but his hot start warrented a longer leash in the majors. The guy is just a casualty of a crowded outfield unfortunately.
As opposed to Odor, who has never gotten out of his hole this year!
Odor can’t be sent down.
One failed pitching prospect replaces another.
Oh come on! Odor should have been the one to go! How long are they going to put up with that $49 million train wreck!!??
I believe that Odor crossed his 5 year playing time earlier this year and has the option to refuse an assignment to the minors. I’d imagine that is playing a role in the decision to keep him up.
Yepp – can’t send Odor down or he can refuse, walk and keep all the money!!
Way to go Daniels!
Willie could replace Cabrera at third base. Cabrera has turned into a black hole…..
Sure, you could play Calhoun at 3B, if fielding didn’t matter at all.
Man, send Odor down to Triple-A. Willie can play 2nd base and has actually been hitting the ball.
Can’t
Aaarrgghh!
Thanks Daniels!
I dont think they can send odor down he is out of options
I would let go of Cabrera he has done nothing lately
Hunter Pence eats pizza with a knife and fork.
That’s how it should be done…..
If Pence does it then I will
How can the Rangers keep Odor and his attitude and Mazara and his ‘asleep at the wheel” attitude and let Calhoun go to AAA. OR Cabera who couldn’t start for the local college teams! I just don’t get it unless they are going into a tank mode!
No options left on Odor.
Luckily for Willie this is only a short term demotion. Assuming Pence proves he’s healthy over the next few games he’ll likely be dealt by the TDL. They may find a new home for Choo as well.
This team is maddening!
I bet Willie goes before either Choo or Pence.
I’ll take that bet. They want young talent. They are building towards contention in 2 years, old guys are going first.
I guess the moral of the story is focus on both defense and offense as if you’re a one trip pony that doesn’t blow you away, you’re likely to be kept in the minors as you’re a defensive liability. What’s interesting is her ego, you’d think he thought himself to be Vlad Jr equal at the plate.
Too bad Rougned Odor won’t take a MiLB assignment to just get himself right. Three years ago, I thought he was one of the best 2B in MLB. Now he’s a liability. Same goes for Ronald Guzman. 1B is a position for a good offensive player.
Hunter Pence, Logan Forsythe and Asdrubal Cabrera are likely not back for 2020. Willie Calhoun will be.
Willie Calhoun shows potental as a hitter. Does not exhibit speed and arm strength needed for today’s outfield. Santana probably has a shot at second or third if Kiner-Khalifa continues to catch. If the Rangers are in a true rebuilding mode (which I doubt) Mazara and Guzman should be kept at age 24. Both have a lot of tools to work with. Odor may be looking at a trade by the end of the year or this winter.