Choo grateful to be on Rangers’ ALDS roster

ARLINGTON — Shin-Soo Choo said that he didn't know that he had made the Texas Rangers' roster for the American League Division Series until Thursday morning, when he saw the lineup for Game 1 hanging in the clubhouse.

He was the starting right fielder. He wasn't as much relieved as he was grateful after being in limbo because of a broken left arm that kept him out from mid-August to last weekend.

"I really wasn't concerned about it," Choo said. "I think it's just more how much [manager Jeff Banister] and the front office trusts me and believes in me. I really appreciate it."

Choo found himself batting ninth, eight spots from where he typically bats. Carlos Gomez remained the leadoff man, but Choo sees the value of having a high on-base hitter at the bottom of the lineup.

"The No. 9 spot is very important," he said.

Banister likes having four players who with high on-base percentages— No. 8 hitter Elvis Andrus, Choo, Gomez and No. 2 hitter Ian Desmond — potentially batting in the same inning ahead off Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre and Rougned Odor.

"You have four guys, potentially leadoff-caliber hitters stacked, on top of each other," Banister said.

This story was originally published October 6, 2016 at 1:52 PM with the headline "Choo grateful to be on Rangers’ ALDS roster."