Rangers Notes: Series vs Red Sox, Culberson To COVID IL, Josh Jung Promoted To AAA
The Texas Rangers begin a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox on Friday night, but it doesn't come without a flurry of roster moves and news in the organization.
•Rangers third baseman Charlie Culberson was put on the COVID Injured List on Friday after experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. The Rangers are at the 85 percent threshold of vaccinations required by Major League Baseball to have loosened protocols. Culberson is one of many Rangers who are fully vaccinated.
Culberson is currently in testing and contact tracing, and has yet to actually test positive for COVID-19. The club said on Friday that contact tracing will "mostly" include unvaccinated players and/or staff, but that also depends on the results on contact tracing.
•Culberson's move to the COVID IL was just one of many roster moves on Friday. In addition, the Rangers:
- Recalled infielder Nick Solak from Triple-A Round Rock
- Selected the contract of RHP Nick Snyder from Round Rock. Snyder will wear No. 57, and be looking to make his Major League debut on Friday night
- Placed RHP Joe Barlow on the 10-day Injured List, effective Friday, with a blister on his right index finger
- Transferred LHP John King from the 10-day to the 60-day IL
Nick Solak will not be in uniform by first pitch on Friday. He is not expected to land in Boston and arrive at Fenway Park until mid game.
Nick Snyder has had a fantastic season in the minor leagues, highlighted by a dominant performance at Double-A Frisco that led to his promotion to Round Rock. With Frisco, Snyder posted a 1.65 ERA with a 0.80 WHIP in 13 appearances. In the 16 1/3 innings he logged, he struck out 25 batters and only walked one.
Regarding Barlow, Rangers manager Chris Woodward said if the team were in a different situation, the 25-year-old right-hander could probably pitch through the blister. However, Woodward also said it doesn't make sense to push it.
Chris Woodward expressed some concern earlier this week about the soreness King was feeling in his shoulder after his rehab assignment. Those concerns were realized on Friday with the decision to put King on the 60-day IL.
•Rangers No. 2 prospect Josh Jung was promoted from Frisco to Round Rock, and is batting third as the DH on Friday night for The Express.
•RHP Kohei Arihara will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday with Frisco. The Japanese right-hander has worked his way back from a procedure in late May to repair a posterior circumflex humeral artery aneurysm in his right arm.
•Outfielder Willie Calhoun began taking part in batting practice earlier this week, and will join Arihara in Frisco for workouts. However, he is not yet on an official rehab assignment.
•While the Rangers and Red Sox are slated to play three games this weekend, Sunday's game is in serious jeopardy. Tropical Storm Henri is forecasted to turn into a hurricane and hit the New England area on Sunday. From the way Chris Woodward spoke in his pregame Zoom call with the media, it sounds like the final game of the series will be played Monday night or not at all.
Woodward briefly mentioned that a scheduled doubleheader for Saturday was discussed, but that it will most likely not be considered.
•Friday night's game information:
Texas Rangers (42-79) at Boston Red Sox (69-54)
Friday, August 20, 2021
6:10 PM CT
Fenway Park | Boston, MA
Probables:
TEX: RHP Dane Dunning (5-7, 4.06 ERA)
vs
BOS: LHP Chris Sale (1-0, 3.60 ERA)
Broadcast
Texas Rangers
TV: Bally Sports Southwest, MLB Network
Radio: 105.3 The Fan, KFLC
Boston Red Sox
TV: NESN, MLB Network
Radio: WEEI, WCCM 1490, WAMG
Texas Rangers Starting Lineup
- 3B Brock Holt
- SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
- RF Adolis García
- CF DJ Peters
- C Jonah Heim
- DH Yohel Pozo
- 2B Yonny Hernandez
- LF Jason Martin
- 1B Andy Ibáñez
Boston Red Sox Starting Lineup
- 2B Enrique Hernández
- 3B Rafael Devers
- SS Xander Bogaerts
- DH Kyle Schwarber
- LF J.D. Martinez
- RF Alex Verdugo
- C Christian Vázquez
- CF Jarren Duran
- 1B Bobby Dalbec
More From SI's Inside The Rangers:
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- 'There's A Lot To Learn From': Rangers Fight Back, But Fall 9-8 In Extra Innings To Mariners
- On The Rise: Five Rangers Prospects In MLB Pipeline Top 100
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