Rangers’ catching load to fall on Bryan Holaday

In the matter of two weeks, Bryan Holaday has gone from competing for a spot on the Detroit Tigers’ roster to being a backup for the Texas Rangers to being their starting catcher.

The latter required a broken right arm to Robinson Chirinos, but it happened and put most of the primary catching load on the former TCU star from Dallas’ W.T. White High.

Brett Nicholas has joined Holaday in the catching rotation, and together they have 112 games of big league experience, all but one of them belonging to Holaday after Nicholas made his major league debut Monday in a late game against the Seattle Mariners.

Holaday has experience, even though he has never played more than 62 games in a season and never more than three in a row. He’s been around since 2012 in some capacity, so he knows American League hitters and he knows his role.

Or knew it. He was called the “everyday catcher” Sunday by manager Jeff Banister, and Holaday says that he is ready for his expanded role even though he has only been in the organization since March 29.

“That’s why I made it a point to catch every guy when they’ve thrown a bullpen and just sit by them and talk to them and figure out how they like to pitch,” Holaday said. “You’ve got to be ready at all times.”

He was thrown into duty in the fifth inning Saturday night after Chirinos was hit by a Garrett Richards fastball and left after flying out. X-rays showed a fracture that will keep him out 10 to 12 weeks after a plate was attached Monday to the ulna bone by Dr. Keith Meister.

Chirinos went to the 60-day disabled list Sunday, and the Rangers purchased Nicholas’ Triple A contract, but only after checking outside the organization for help.

The infection that attacked Chris Gimenez’s left leg is improving, but he’s still a week away from baseball activities. Michael McKenry is still in Arizona on a minor league contract working his way back from an abdominal strain and is 10 days away from being an option.

Of all the catchers the Rangers had in spring training, none had caught as many games in the majors as McKenry.

But until the others are healthy, the Rangers are left to either commit to Holaday and Nicholas or continue to seek outside help. No team is just going to give the Rangers a full-time option or even a backup, and the two front-line catchers who appear to be available — Derek Norris and Jonathan Lucroy — are currently too expensive for the Rangers to seriously consider.

Though Nicholas had never been in the majors until Sunday, he knows the business and that his first stint in the big leagues could be a brief one.

“Whether it’s for one day or for one season, it’s a matter of keeping your head down and grinding like you’ve been doing,” said Nicholas, the Rangers’ sixth-round pick in 2010. “My only job is to make sure that these pitchers don’t skip a beat. Having Chirinos out is a huge thing, but my job is to make sure they’re just as comfortable.”

Nicholas emerged again as an option at catcher after spending much of his early years in the system at first base behind 2010 first-rounder Kellin Deglan. Even last season at Triple A Round Rock, Nicholas split his time almost equally at catcher and first base.

The Rangers liked how he threw and received during spring training, and his left-handed bat has some power in it. That helped him get the start Monday against Mariners right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, who has dominated the Rangers the past few seasons, and so did his familiarity with Colby Lewis after spring training and catching the right-hander during past rehab assignments.

But the need to keep Holaday healthy also played a role in the decision to start Nicholas.

“Getting that body into that everyday scenario, I’ve seen it where about Day Four or Day Five the injury risk increases,” manager Jeff Banister said. “I’ve seen guys injured in that scenario before.”

Nicholas could get another start Wednesday in a day game that follows a night game Tuesday. After that, Holaday could catch the first three games of a homestand that begins Thursday against Baltimore and, after the first off day of the season next Monday, catch all three games of the Houston series.

That’s what an everyday catcher does, and that’s what the Rangers have planned for Holaday even though he hasn’t done it yet in his career.

“I come to the field that day, and I’m here to help my team win,” he said. “That’s all I care about.”

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Rangers’ catching load to fall on Bryan Holaday."