Adrian Beltre still waiting on Rangers to offer contract extension

Third baseman Adrian Beltre has been waiting to hear from the Texas Rangers on a proposed contract extension submitted by his agent, Scott Boras, two weeks ago.

“We never heard back,” Beltre said. “I’m not negotiating. I told them that. It’s not fair for my teammates. I don’t ever want to be a distraction.”

An extension is still possible but at this point, Beltre said, it would have to be a proposal he could simply agree to or turn down.

“It’s not a negotiation, so it’s a yes or no,” he said. “If they come back and do that, maybe I have the option of saying yes or no. I’m not their priority right now. They’re busy doing whatever. They don’t have to do anything. I understand that, but I thought that by now I’d have the option to say no to something or say yes.”

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Saturday that he hoped to engage Boras this weekend. The extension talks have not been tabled, Daniels said.

Griffin’s limbo

A.J. Griffin threw a bullpen session Saturday.

He’s still waiting to learn when and where he’ll pitch next. The 28-year-old right-hander accepted an assignment to Triple A Round Rock on Sunday morning, but most signs point to him being the Rangers’ fifth starter on Friday against the Angels in Anaheim.

The Rangers are not saying officially what their plan is, although both Daniels and manager Jeff Banister have made strong hints.

“I’m not positive,” Griffin said. “It’s still up in the air. Kind of a waiting game.”

A likely hold-up on making it official is the outside chance the Rangers make a deal for another starter before Friday.

Griffin isn’t sure of much. He was unclear whether he needed to report to Round Rock. Rules dictate that he’s not with the big league club for the next four days.

“I need to look that up,” said Griffin, who has an out clause in his contract on Monday. The club is assuming Griffin will not use it.

Griffin was unclear, or perhaps cagey, about his near future.

“I don’t even really know. It has been pretty vague. I’m just trying to get through the next few days and see what happens,” he said. “It just gives them time to do what they want to do to set up the team they want. It’s just part of the deal, part of the job.”

Griffin, who pitched 14 1/3 innings in the minors last season after Tommy John surgery in 2014, has shown an ultra-relaxed personality throughout spring training.

“I’m just taking care of my business every day and being ready to go when they give me the opportunity,” he said. “I think I showed them I’m healthy, that I’m able to pitch. I throw a lot of strikes, don’t walk guys. I think I showed that I’m ready to compete.”

He’s just waiting to hear against whom.

Opening Day roster

The Rangers officially announced their 25-man Opening Day roster and put four players on the 15-day disabled list — right-hander Yu Darvish (right elbow), outfielder Josh Hamilton (left knee), catcher Chris Gimenez (left leg infection) and right-hander Luke Jackson (back).

The Gimenez move is retroactive to March 27, and the other three can be back-dated to March 25.

Right-hander Tanner Scheppers will open on the 60-day DL. Gimenez was released from a Surprise, Ariz., hospital and will take part in Opening Day.

The roster breakdown is as follows:

Starting pitchers: LHP Cole Hamels, LHP Martin Perez, RHP Colby Lewis, LHP Derek Holland

Relievers: RHP Shawn Tolleson, RHP Sam Dyson, LHP Jake Diekman, RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, RHP Tony Barnette, RHP Keone Kela, LHP Andrew Faulkner, RHP Phil Klein

Catchers: Robinson Chirinos, Bryan Holaday

Infielders: Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Mitch Moreland, Rougned Odor, Hanser Alberto, Prince Fielder

Outfielders: Ian Desmond, Shin-Soo Choo, Delino DeShields, Ryan Rua, Justin Ruggiano

15-day disabled list: RHP Yu Darvish, OF Josh Hamilton, C Chris Gimenez, RHP Luke Jackson

60-day DL: RHP Tanner Scheppers

This story was originally published April 3, 2016 at 1:42 PM with the headline "Adrian Beltre still waiting on Rangers to offer contract extension."