Rangers’ Cole Hamels to miss start, Cesar Ramos will face Yankees
Texas Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels was scratched Sunday from Monday’s start against the Yankees with a sore left groin.
Veteran left-hander Cesar Ramos will be called up from Triple A Round Rock to make the start.
Ramos, who is 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in three minor league starts, has seven years of major league experience, mostly as a reliever. He was with the Angels in 2015 before signing a minor league deal during the off-season with the Rangers. His last major league start was for the Tampa Bay Rays on May 17, 2014.
It kind of comes up every once in a while getting into little bit more stressful innings and stressful parts of the game.
Rangers pitcher Cole Hamels
on his left groin strainIt’s the same ailment that caused Hamels to miss a start in August. Hamels called it a precautionary move.
“It kind of comes up every once in a while getting into little bit more stressful innings and stressful parts of the game when you kind of exert a little too much,” said Hamels, who is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA.
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said before Sunday’s game a left-hander would be preferable against the Yankees. Ramos was scheduled to start Monday for Round Rock.
The Rangers will have to move someone off the 25-man roster, which could be reliever Alex Claudio or Nick Martinez, who was also a candidate to start Monday.
They’ll also have to move someone off the 40-man roster. That’s likely to be Keone Kela, who could be put on the 60-day disabled list after having surgery for a bone spur in his right elbow Friday.
Hamels said seven days off before his next start is typically enough time for it to heal.
“I just don’t want something to linger throughout the season and obviously be at my best and feel confident I can make plays in and around the diamond,” he said.
Banister said he’s not concerned about Hamels.
“Let’s be smart and conservative and make sure there is no other cause and effect to anything else,” he said. “We’d much rather give him the extra time now so we don’t create a bigger situation for us further down the road. It’s very similar to what we did with him last year.”
DeShields’ day off
Center fielder Delino DeShields got his second game off Sunday. He had started 17 of the Rangers’ first 18 games. Ian Desmond played center and Ryan Rua started in left.
Banister thought DeShields looked a little tired during Saturday’s 11-inning game.
“It looked like the legs weren’t quite underneath him,” he said. “Didn’t look as explosive as he has looked.”
DeShields was also battling an 0 for 15 slump before an eighth-inning infield single Saturday. His throw home was the third out in the eighth that held the White Sox to a one-run lead.
“It was a good throw. He’s made a couple good throws,” Banister said. “His arm has gotten better. His release has gotten quicker. He and [field coordinator Jayce] Tingler have been working hard at the arm string, the release and how he gets to the ball.”
Hamilton, Gimenez updates
Josh Hamilton was for 2 for 5 with two singles as a designated hitter Saturday in an extended spring game in Arizona. Catcher Chris Gimenez was 2 for 4, with two doubles and a walk. Gimenez caught three innings.
Stefan Stevenson: 817-390-7760, @StevensonFWST
This story was originally published April 24, 2016 at 11:59 AM with the headline "Rangers’ Cole Hamels to miss start, Cesar Ramos will face Yankees."