Rangers notes: New catcher debuts with Chirinos, Corporan on DL
Newly acquired Rangers catcher Bobby Wilson likes to be prepared.
He stayed up late Friday night watching videos of ace Cole Hamels just in case he was asked to catch the left-hander Saturday night — Hamels’ first start for Texas since being traded from Philadelphia.
It was a wise move for Wilson, who was claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay on Friday. He was behind the plate Saturday after Robinson Chirinos was put on the 15-day DL with a strained left shoulder.
“I enjoy these moments,” Wilson said. “Hopefully, we get on the same page right away and have a great day. I definitely have the butterflies in my stomach right now, but once I get on the baseball field I’ll have fun.”
Wilson had never met Hamels until both arrived during Friday’s game.
“I went home last night and watched every MLB.com video I could find of him,” Wilson said. “One thing I won’t allow myself to be is ill-prepared.”
It’s also about making sure Hamels is comfortable with him and how they’re communicating on the diamond.
“I’m just happy to be here and be a part of this organization,” said Wilson, who had RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings. “You know how much fun they have and how hard they play the game, so I’m honored and privileged to be a part of this team.”
Chirinos hopes to return in a couple weeks. He injured his shoulder during his last at-bat Thursday night.
“Never had a problem, even with my right shoulder. It’s something new for me,” he said. “Hopefully, my body reacts really good and that’s the [most] time I need to get back on the field.”
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said the club is being cautious with Chirinos. Backup catcher Carlos Corporan (strained right thumb) could return soon from a rehab assignment
“We didn’t push the risk factor on any of this,” Banister said. “We have an opportunity to allow him to get better, to freshen up.”
Kela to Frisco
Rangers rookie reliever Keone Kela was optioned to Double A Frisco before Saturday’s game to give him a chance to rest.
Kela has made 49 appearances this season, tied for the most in the AL. The acquisitions of relievers Jake Diekman and Sam Dyson made the move possible, Banister said.
“Keone has done a really good job for us,” he said. “This is [about] long term. We’ve got a young kid we want to keep around for a long time, so we want to take care of him.”
Diekman’s debut
Diekman retired all five batters he faced Friday night in his Rangers debut. He arrived to the ballpark early in the game and was glad to get his first appearance out of the way.
“I would love to do that every time,” he joked. “The past two days were hell, so that was good. Get it out of the way.”
Diekman, who watched Hamels throw a no-hitter in his last start with the Phillies last week, was part of a combined no-hitter last September in which Cole Hamels pitched the first six innings against the Braves.
“It was terrifying,” said Diekman, who had two strikeouts in the seventh, his lone inning in the game.
Key stat
8,500 Approximate amount of additional tickets the Rangers report selling for Saturday’s game since the Cole Hamels trade was announced Friday morning.
Stefan Stevenson, 817-390-7760
Twitter: @StevensonFWST
This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Rangers notes: New catcher debuts with Chirinos, Corporan on DL."