Rangers followers had been dealt a serious damage scare final night time 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 happily Rangers supervisor Bruce Bochy confirmed to reporters final night time that preliminary x-rays got here again detrimental. That indicated that the runner-up for the 2023 AL MVP award seemingly had averted a worst case situation, although the Rangers nonetheless deliberate to guage him additional right this moment.
Mentioned analysis might have been extra encouraging. As famous by Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning Information earlier right this moment, Bochy instructed reporters previous to right this moment’s sport in opposition to Baltimore that Seager was nonetheless feeling “fairly sore” and that the membership is planning to have him bear an MRI examination tomorrow when the membership returns dwelling to Texas. Even when the MRI comes again clear, nonetheless, Bochy admitted that Seager goes to be out for at the least “the following couple of days” even in an best possible 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 identify on the huge league stage and a lackluster 66 wRC+ on the Triple-A stage this yr. That leaves him unlikely to affect the membership on greater than an emergency foundation, and if Seager had been to go on the injured listing the membership would doubtless name up utility bat Ezequiel Duran to fill in on the infield as a substitute. It’s potential 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 massive leagues for ten days until changing a participant headed to the IL.
Whereas the information regarded Seager actually might be higher, Rangers followers have additionally acquired constructive information relating to the standing of a handful of rehabbing pitchers in latest days. As famous by Grant, right-hander Tyler Mahle threw a bullpen yesterday and is slated to start a rehab project subsequent week as he makes his approach again from Tommy John surgical procedure. Mahle went below the knife on the identical day as high pitching prospect Kumar Rocker, who will begin a rehab project of his personal in rookie ball someday subsequent week. In accordance 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 might be an choice to affix 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 yr. 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 placing 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 latest 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 an enormous leaguer. Ought to he keep wholesome sufficient to contribute, Mahle figures to offer the Rangers extra 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 considerations relating to his elbow, main the Rangers to choose him third general the next yr. Rocker posted a strong 3.86 ERA in six begins with the Rangers on the Excessive-A stage final yr earlier than going below the knife again in Might, placing out a improbable 37.9% of batters confronted on the stage. 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 huge league stage this yr given his lack of professional expertise, it’s straightforward 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.
