Mazara returns to Rangers’ lineup after being “unplugged”
Nomar Mazara returned to the Texas Rangers’ lineup Tuesday for the finale against the San Diego Padres after a two-day break designed to let him work on his swing and take a mental breather.
Manager Jeff Banister refers to such a treatment as “unplugging” a player. Mazara, though, was ready for each game and was unaware that the manager thought he needed some time off the field.
Mazara entered Tuesday in an 0-for-10 slump and was batting only .170 (17 for 100) in his past 28 games to drop his average to .231. He opened Tuesday with a two-run double as the game’s third batter.
“They didn’t put me in the lineup, and made the decision to give me two days off,” Mazara said. “I did my work. The last five games I’ve been going pretty good. The results weren’t there, but I liked it because I felt good.”
His first-inning double came off Jered Weaver, who was on the mound when he made his major-league debut last season. Mazara opened single, single, home run in his first three at-bats against the right-hander.
That was one reason Banister batted Mazara third. Shin-Soo Choo also has a good history against Weaver, and he was the leadoff hitter as Delino DeShields received a day off.
Jeff Wilson: 817-390-7760, @JeffWilson_FWST
This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Mazara returns to Rangers’ lineup after being “unplugged”."