'He's A Savage': Rangers Call Up Jason Martin, Dahl Goes To IL

The Texas Rangers had to place yet another player on the injured list, but get the chance to see another young player get a crack at playing time.

Author:
Chris Halicke
May 26, 2021 3:08 PM EDT

In this story:

Jason MartinDavid Dahl

The Texas Rangers have sent yet another player to the injured list.

Outfielder David Dahl crashed into the wall in right field in pursuit of a Jared Walsh home run during Tuesday night's game in Anaheim. After pulling Dahl in the seventh inning, manager Chris Woodward hoped the soreness wouldn't be too bad when the team came in on Wednesday morning.

That was not the case. During his pregame Zoom with the media, Woodward said Dahl was more sore than he was on Tuesday night. The Rangers now plan to do further evaluation to see if there is a cracked rib or something similar that could cause Dahl to miss extended time.

Taking his place will be outfielder Jason Martin, who will be in uniform in Anaheim on Wednesday afternoon after going 1-for-4 with a solo home run for Triple-A Round Rock against Tacoma on Tuesday night.

Martin, 25, has been raking for The Express. He owns a .302/.413/.755/1.167 slash line with seven home runs and 16 RBI over 15 games. His seven homers currently rank as second-most in the Triple-A West League.

Woodward addressed the media before Wednesday's roster move, where I asked if Jason Martin would be seriously considered for a call-up if Dahl were to miss time.

Now we know the Rangers were going to call him up, but Woodward explained why Martin was going to be the one if Dahl were to miss time.

"I've been following along and keeping up with him," Woodward said. "He has been phenomenal. Not just numbers-wise. Just overall, what we saw in spring training. His attitude. This guy is exactly the kind of competitor that we look for. In the batter's box, he's a savage. This guy does not take anything for granted."

Outside of Adolis García, Martin may have been the most impressive player during Rangers spring training. He slashed .367/.486/.600/1.086 with two home runs and seven RBI in 30 at-bats over 21 Cactus League games. Also like García, Martin was considered for an Opening Day roster spot, but ultimately was optioned to the alternate training site.

Martin was originally an eighth-round pick by the Houston Astros in 2013. He was part of the trade package that sent Gerrit Cole from Pittsburgh to Houston in January 2018.

After bouncing back and forth between Pittsburgh and Triple-A Indianapolis in 2019 and playing only seven big league games in 2020, the Pirates outrighted him off their 40-man roster last November. Martin elected free agency, and the Rangers swooped in and signed him to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

Could the Rangers have found yet another diamond in the rough?

Texas Rangers (22-28) at Los Angeles Angels (21-27)

Tuesday, May 26, 2021
3:07 PM CT
Angels Stadium | Anaheim, CA

Probables:
TEX: RHP Dane Dunning (2-3, 3.74 ERA)
vs
LAA: RHP Griffin Canning (3-3, 5.56 ERA)

Broadcast

Texas Rangers
TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Radio: 105.3 The Fan, KFLC

Los Angeles Angels
TV: Bally Sports West
Radio: KLAA

Texas Rangers Starting Lineup

LF Willie Calhoun
2B Nick Solak
1B Nate Lowe
CF Adolis García
RF Joey Gallo
DH Khris Davis
SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
3B Brock Holt
C Jonah Heim

Los Angeles Angels Starting Lineup

LF Justin Upton
DH Shohei Ohtani
3B Anthony Rendon
1B Jared Walsh
CF Juan Lagares
2B Jose Rojas
RF Taylor Ward
C Drew Butera
SS David Fletcher

Rangers Roster Moves

OF David Dahl placed on 10-day Injured List with a left rib cage contusion
OF Jason Martin contract selected from Triple-A Round Rock
RHP Kohei Arihara transferred from 10-day to 60-day Injured List

Rangers Injury Report

10-Day Injured List

David Dahl (left rib cage contusion): Will undergo further evaluation for any structural damage after crashing into the wall on Tuesday night in Anaheim.
Kyle Gibson (right groin strain): Gibson has been pitching through the injury and the Rangers wanted to get out in front of it with a stint on the IL. The Rangers don't believe the injury is serious, and Chris Woodward even pointed to a possible return to the mound on June 4 vs Tampa Bay at home.
Hunter Wood (right elbow discomfort): Wood left Saturday's game after only 10 pitches and was pulled without hesitation. Rangers manager Chris Woodward said Sunday morning that Wood would probably get an MRI "at some point."

60-Day Injured List

Kohei Arihara (right shoulder surgery): Arihara will undergo surgery on his right shoulder to repair an aneurysm in the posterior circumflex humeral artery. He will be shut down for at least 12 weeks. It is unclear if Arihara can pitch again this season, but his heath is obviously paramount.
Matt Bush (right flexor strain): Bush is currently in a six-week shutdown, then will undergo an MRI. It's looking like the soonest Bush could come back is around the All-Star break.
Kyle Cody (right shoulder impingement): What was initially ruled as just inflammation, Cody's injury is much more long-term than expected. His timetable remains unclear.
Ronald Guzmán (torn meniscus in right knee): Guzmán underwent successful season-ending knee surgery on April 28.
Jonathan Hernández (Tommy John surgery): Hernández underwent Tommy John surgery on April 12, which was performed by team physician Dr. Keith Meister. He will be sidelined for approximately 12-14 months.
Sam Huff (arthroscopic knee surgery): Huff was near the end of his rehab regarding his hamstring injury, but tweaked his knee in the batting cage near the end of minor league camp. Huff had surgery on April 28 to remove a "loose body" in his knee. His prognosis from the time of surgery is eight weeks.
José Leclerc (Tommy John surgery): Leclerc underwent successful Tommy John surgery on March 31, which was performed by team physician Dr. Keith Meister. He will be sidelined for approximately 12-14 months.

Other Rangers Injuries

Josh Jung (left foot stress fracture): The Rangers don't expect Jung to return to game action until the end of May or early June — longer than the original prognosis of 6-8 weeks.

Promo photo: Kelly Gavin / Courtesy of the Texas Rangers

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