Rangers make more decisions on roster. Who received bad news?
More decisions came down Wednesday morning to add clarity who will be on the Texas Rangers' Opening Day roster, but the club is still wading through how it will structure its bullpen and bench.
Manager Jeff Banister said that catcher Curt Casali was released from his minor-league contract, leaving Juan Centeno as the clear front-runner to be the backup to Robinson Chirinos.
Banister also said that outfielder Destin Hood was told that he would start the season at Triple A Round Rock despite one of the best offensive performances by any player this spring.
Infielder Trevor Plouffe was also informed that he is on the outside looking in, and he was scratched from the lineup against the Chicago Cubs as he mulls his options. Right-handed reliever Steve Delabar received the same news as Hood and Plouffe.
"We've been a little busy in that office," Banister said.
Ryan Rua and Drew Robinson appear to have locked up a platoon in left field. With Hood out of the mix for March 29, Rule 5 pick Carlos Tocci has an edge on making the team.
But he will make it only if the Rangers go with a four-man bench, and he must remain on the active roster all season. That decision can't be made until the Rangers decide if they will go with seven or eight relievers in the bullpen.
The back stiffness that has slowed Tony Barnette is contributing to the Rangers' indecision. However, they informed fellow right-hander Jesse Chavez to concentrate on being a reliever rather than a starter.
He will still have the ability to make spot starts when needed, but the Rangers appear more and more committed to more of a true five-man rotation than a six-man or a five-plus-one scenario.
They could get by with seven relievers, though the opening stretch of 14 games might tempt them to go with eight. That would be good news for Kevin Jepsen, who has been the Rangers' best reliever this spring and is pushing for a roster spot.
He's on a minor-league deal, however, and that could be a factor in the decision-making.
"We like him a lot," Banister said. "Guys like Trevor, Darwin Barney, Jepsen and Delabar, these guys who have skins on the wall, they deserve the opportunity to have a conversation and sit down. ... When a guy's on the outside looking in, you want to let them know that, too."
Cubs 5, Rangers 1
Chicago | 131 | 000 | 000 | — | 5 |
Texas | 001 | 000 | 000 | — | 1 |
Chicago<QM> | ab | r | h | bi | Texas<QM> | ab | r | h | bi |
Ia.Happ cf | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | DShelds cf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Freeman ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | J.Gallo 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
K.Brynt 3b | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | E.Andrs ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Bernard rf | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N.Mzara rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A.Rizzo 1b | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Sh.Choo dh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cntrras c | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Ro.Odor 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Schwrbr lf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Rbinson 3b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Zobrist 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Centeno c | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Heyward rf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | M.Ohlmn c | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
L Stlla 3b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | C.Tocci lf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ja.Baez ss | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||
Bourjos cf | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
Darvish sp | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
R.Court 2b | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
Totals<QM> | 32 | 5 | 10 | 5 | Totals<QM> | 29 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
DP—Chicago 2, Texas 0. LOB—Chicago 6, Texas 1. 2B—Heyward (3), Andrus (3). HR—Bryant (1), Schwarber (4), Centeno (2). CS—Contreras (1), Bourjos (4). SF—Schwarber (1).
Chicago | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
Darvish W, 3-0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
Cishek | 1 <AF>2/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Edwards Jr. | 1 <AF>1/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Texas | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
Moore L, 0-1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Zawadzki | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kela | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Martin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Bush | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Leclerc | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Jones | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Palmquist | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
HBP—by—Moore (Rizzo). Umpires—Home, Matthew Czajak; First, Cory Blaser; Second, Lance Barrett; Third, Quinn Wolcott. T—2:38. A—9,377
This story was originally published March 21, 2018 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Rangers make more decisions on roster. Who received bad news?."