Rangers see encouraging signs from bullpen

Rather than looking outside the organization for potential help to upgrade the roster, general manager Jon Daniels said that improvement from within and players returning to health could be what the Texas Rangers rely upon to get them to the postseason.

Daniels said that no performance of late has been more encouraging to the team that the 1 2/3 innings Sam Dyson threw Sunday night. The deposed closer hit 97 mph with his sinker and also flashed an effective changeup in allowing one hit in the seventh and eighth innings at Detroit.

If Dyson can return to his 2015 and 2016 form, in addition to Keone Kela continuing to pitch as he did in 2015, the Rangers’ bullpen might not need to be addressed at the annual non-waiver trade deadline.

“Dyson’s performance the other night, it’s one game, but it was as encouraging as anything we could have seen,” Daniels said. “Early on we had our struggles. There definitely some positive news there recently.”

Jose Leclerc (index finger) could start throwing fastballs again Wednesday or Thursday, Daniels said, after receiving an injection Friday. The Rangers aren’t banking on anything from Jake Diekman, but the left-hander insists that he will pitch again this season.

Diekman could do some light throwing this week ahead of his third and final operation to alleviate ulcerative colitis in early June.

Daniels said that the recent 10-game winning streak, as well as the Rangers’ sluggish start to the season, need to be kept in perspective before determine if the Rangers will be buyers or sellers July 31.

“It’s hard to ask for more than we’ve gotten the last week or two,” Daniels said. “You want to keep the perspective that it’s May. We’ve got to keep things on the course they’re on right now.”

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Rangers see encouraging signs from bullpen."