Rangers followers had been dealt a serious damage scare final evening when star shortstop Corey Seager went down after being struck on the wrist by a pitch from Orioles lefty Cade Povich. Seager instantly exited the sport however thankfully Rangers supervisor Bruce Bochy confirmed to reporters final evening that preliminary x-rays got here again destructive. That indicated that the runner-up for the 2023 AL MVP award seemingly had prevented a worst case situation, although the Rangers nonetheless deliberate to guage him additional at this time.
Stated analysis may have been extra encouraging. As famous by Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning Information earlier at this time, Bochy advised reporters previous to at this time’s sport in opposition to Baltimore that Seager was nonetheless feeling “fairly sore” and that the membership is planning to have him endure an MRI examination tomorrow when the membership returns house to Texas. Even when the MRI comes again clear, nonetheless, Bochy admitted that Seager goes to be out for not less than “the subsequent couple of days” even in an very best case situation.
The Rangers referred to as up infielder Jonathan Ornelas previous to tonight’s sport to function an additional infield choice whereas Seager nurses his damage, however the 24-year-old teenager has simply 9 plate appearances to his title on the massive league degree and a lackluster 66 wRC+ on the Triple-A degree this 12 months. That leaves him unlikely to affect the membership on greater than an emergency foundation, and if Seager had been to go on the injured checklist the membership would doubtless name up utility bat Ezequiel Duran to fill in on the infield as a substitute. It’s doable Duran would’ve been recalled as a substitute of Ornelas if not for Duran being optioned to the minors simply final week, that means he can’t return to the large leagues for ten days until changing a participant headed to the IL.
Whereas the information regarded Seager definitely could possibly be higher, Rangers followers have additionally obtained optimistic information relating to the standing of a handful of rehabbing pitchers in current days. As famous by Grant, right-hander Tyler Mahle threw a bullpen yesterday and is slated to start a rehab task subsequent week as he makes his means again from Tommy John surgical procedure. Mahle went beneath the knife on the identical day as prime pitching prospect Kumar Rocker, who will begin a rehab task of his personal in rookie ball someday subsequent week. In line with Grant, Bochy indicated that each Mahle and Rocker are basically going to be on the schedule of a starter ramping up throughout Spring Coaching, that means that Mahle could possibly be an choice to hitch the Rangers rotation someday after the All Star break.
Mahle signed with the Rangers on a two-year deal this previous offseason whereas rehabbing the aforementioned Tommy John surgical procedure and has lengthy appeared ticketed for a return in some unspecified time in the future within the season half of this 12 months. The 29-year-old has typically been a strong mid-to-back of the rotation arm when wholesome sufficient to take the mound, with a 3.90 ERA (117 ERA+) and three.86 FIP throughout 374 innings of labor whereas putting out a strong 21.7% of batters because the begin of the 2020 season. Well being has been the first query relating to Mahle within the current years of his profession, as he’s solely made it to 30 begins as soon as (a 33-start marketing campaign in 2021) in his eight years as a giant leaguer. Ought to he keep wholesome sufficient to contribute, Mahle figures to offer the Rangers further rotation depth behind their present group of Max Scherzer, Jon Grey, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, and Michael Lorenzen.
As for Rocker, the right-hander was among the many best-regarded prospects in each the 2021 and 2022 drafts. He was chosen tenth general out of Vanderbilt within the 2021 draft by the Mets however ended up not signing over issues relating to his elbow, main the Rangers to choose him third general the next 12 months. Rocker posted a strong 3.86 ERA in six begins with the Rangers on the Excessive-A degree final 12 months earlier than going beneath the knife again in Could, putting out a implausible 37.9% of batters confronted on the degree. Now 24, Rocker figures to renew his ascent up the minor league ladder upon his return to motion. Whereas it appears unlikely that he would issue into the membership’s plans on the massive league degree this 12 months given his lack of professional expertise, it’s simple to think about the righty debuting within the majors as quickly as subsequent season if he sports activities the identical high-octane stuff he flashed within the minors and the SEC previous to his surgical procedure.
