Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Exam on tap, next start in doubt
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Rangers general manager Chris Young said Sunday that Eovaldi (side) will return to Texas to visit with team physician Dr. Keith Meister before a determination is made if he'll be able to make his next start, MLB.com reports. "The hope is that [Eovaldi's side injury is] something that can be managed," Young said. "He's feeling OK [Sunday]. Actually, better than he was, I think, a couple of days ago. It's something he thinks he can pitch through. We're just not sure we want to make him do so. We may end up pushing him back or skipping a start. We don't think it's an IL at this point, but we will clearly decide that once he sees Dr. Meister."
Eovaldi started Saturday but was lifted after just three innings due to right side tightness in the Rangers' 8-0 loss to the Yankees in the first game of a doubleheader. While more information on Eovaldi's next steps won't be available until he meets with Dr. Meister, the right-hander's availability for his next turn through the rotation would appear to be in doubt at the moment. Eovaldi tentatively lines up to take the hill either Thursday or Friday versus the Twins, but the Rangers would likely have to call upon Cody Bradford to make another turn through the rotation if Eovaldi can't go.
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Rangers' Max Scherzer: Set to receive further evaluation
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Scherzer (shoulder) returned to Texas on Sunday to receive further evaluation from team doctors, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 2 with right shoulder fatigue, Scherzer had been hopeful to return when first eligible Thursday or shortly thereafter. However, an activation no longer appears imminent for Scherzer, as his shoulder hasn't responded to extra rest as well as the Rangers had anticipated. The Rangers will determine the next steps for the veteran right-hander once he's evaluated further, but with his stay on the IL likely extending into late August if not September, fantasy managers in redraft leagues might not be able to afford to hold him much longer. With Nathan Eovaldi (side) also returning to Texas for further examination and likely to have his next start pushed back, the Rangers could have spots in the rotation available for both Jose Urena and Cody Bradford in the short term.
The Rangers designated Burke for assignment Sunday.
The transaction opens up a spot on the 40-man roster and in the big-league bullpen for right-hander Matt Festa, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock. Since breaking his right hand in April and missing two months of action, Burke struggled to bounce back upon returning from the shelf. Over his eight appearances with Texas since being activated, Burke posted a 7.59 ERA and 1.88 WHIP across 10.2 innings.
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Rangers' Josh Sborz: Shut down with shoulder fatigue
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The Rangers placed Sborz on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right shoulder fatigue.
Sborz's placement on IL is retroactive to Thursday, so he'll be eligible for activation as soon as Aug. 23. The right-hander has been a key setup man for the Rangers when available this season but had struggled of late, giving up a run in three of his last five appearances. Texas called up right-hander Matt Festa from Triple-A Round Rock to take Sborz's spot in the bullpen.
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Rangers' Walter Pennington: Called up from Triple-A
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The Rangers recalled Pennington from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
Pennington will replace fellow left-hander Brock Burke in the Texas bullpen after the Rangers designated Burke for assignment. Acquired from the Royals on July 29 in the deal that sent right-hander Michael Lorenzen to Kansas City, Pennington previously made his Rangers debut last Sunday against the Red Sox, working one inning while giving up an earned run on one hit and three walks. He'll likely occupy a low-leverage role during his upcoming stint with Texas.
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Rangers' Matt Festa: Joins big-league bullpen
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The Rangers selected Festa's contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
He'll join the big-league bullpen as a replacement for right-hander Josh Sborz, who was placed on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder fatigue. After signing a minor-league contract with the Rangers in July, Festa made six appearances for Round Rock and gave up one earned run on six hits and three walks while striking out 13 batters over 8.2 innings.
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Rangers' Jonah Heim: Getting afternoon off
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Heim is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
Though he started in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader before bowing out of the lineup for the nightcap, Heim will get another breather Sunday as the Rangers wrap up their series in New York. Carson Kelly will handle the catching duties, forming a battery with starting pitcher Andrew Heaney.
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Rangers' Grant Anderson: Sent back to minors
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The Rangers optioned Anderson to Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
Anderson will head back to the minors after he served as the Rangers' 27th man in Saturday's doubleheader with the Yankees. He mopped up in relief during the Rangers' 8-0 loss in the first game of the day, covering 3.2 innings and striking out three while allowing one earned run on one hit and two walks.
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Rangers' Corey Seager: Belts 25th homer
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Seager went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts during a shutout loss in the matinee, Seager's bat woke up in the nightcap, and his sixth-inning shot off Luke Weaver gave the Rangers a 6-1 lead in an eventual 9-4 win. Seager is surging, launching six homers over the last eight games with 10 RBI, and on the season the All-Star shortstop is slashing .273/.353/.497 with 25 long balls and 60 RBI.
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Rangers' Adolis Garcia: Big day in twin bill
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Garcia went 5-for-7 with a walk, a double, two runs scored and an RBI across both games of Saturday's doubleheader split with the Yankees.
The Rangers were shut out in the matinee, but Garcia still accounted for two of the team's five hits and its only extra-base knock. The outfielder really got going in the nightcap though, leading Texas to a 9-4 win by getting on base four times and driving in his squad's first run in the fourth inning. Garcia is showing signs of life at the plate, batting .286 (16-for-56) over his last 15 games, but he still isn't supplying his usual power with only three doubles and a homer during that stretch.
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Rangers' Cody Bradford: Fans seven in win over Yankees
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Bradford (4-0) picked up the win in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees, allowing one run on five hits over five innings. He struck out seven without walking a batter.
The southpaw was sharp in his second start since rejoining the Rangers rotation, tossing 61 of 92 pitches for strikes and tying his season high in Ks. Bradford has yet to issue multiple free passes in any of his six big-league appearances this season, posting a 31:4 K:BB through 30 innings to go along with a 3.60 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. With Nathan Eovaldi (side) leaving the matinee early and Texas dealing with multiple other injured starters. Bradford could remain in the rotation for a little while longer.
Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Dealing with side tightness
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Manager Bruce Bochy said that Eovaldi was removed early from his start in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader due to right side tightness, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Eovaldi was able to get through only three innings in his start Saturday, during which he allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four batters. It's unclear how his injury will impact his status for his next scheduled start -- tentatively slated to come next week versus Minnesota -- but more will be known once the Rangers get an opportunity to take a closer look at him.
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Rangers' Jonah Heim: Sitting for nightcap
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Heim isn't in the Rangers' lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
Heim will take a seat for the second half of Saturday's festivities after going 0-for-3 with a walk during Game 1. Carson Kelly will do the catching for Cody Bradford and bat ninth.
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Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi: Early exit in Saturday's loss
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Eovaldi (8-6) took the loss in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks over three innings. He struck out four.
The Rangers wound up getting shut out 8-0 in the matinee, and Eovaldi didn't help matters by needing 81 pitches (50 strikes) to record only nine outs. The veteran right-hander has been tagged for eight runs in eight innings over his first two starts in August, a steep decline from a July that saw him deliver five quality starts in six trips to the mound with a 3.23 ERA and dazzling 32:0 K:BB in 39 innings. Eovaldi will look to re-discover that form in his next outing, which lines up to come at home next week against the Twins.
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Rangers' Leody Taveras: Resting during Game 1
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Taveras isn't in the Rangers' lineup for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
The switch-hitting Taveras owns just a .582 OPS in 91 plate appearances against southpaws this season, and he'll take a seat against left-hander Carlos Rodon to begin Saturday's twin bill. Wyatt Langford will move to center field while Robbie Grossman covers left and bats eighth.
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Rangers' Grant Anderson: Up as 27th man
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The Rangers recalled Anderson from Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday.
Anderson will return to the Rangers to give the team extra bullpen depth as the 27th man for Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees. The 27-year-old owns an 8.53 ERA and 1.63 WHIP through 19 frames in the big leagues, but he has allowed just two runs (both unearned) in eight Triple-A innings since being optioned to the minors in early July.
