Rangers add veteran outfielder Drew Stubbs to roster

Drew Stubbs was signed to a major-league contract Saturday by the Texas Rangers, who had the outfielder on their roster last season and in spring training before he exercised the out in his minor-league deal.

The Rangers optioned left-hander Alex Claudio to Triple A Round Rock and moved outfielder Josh Hamilton to the 60-day disabled list to accommodate Stubbs, who had been designated for assignment by Atlanta on Monday.

The move has more to do with Hamilton than it does the slow-starting Delino DeShields. Hamilton was originally expected back by mid-May to give the Rangers a full bench for the first time since early April, but a setback with his left knee has pushed his return to early June at the earliest.

But with Shin-Soo Choo on the mend and expected back perhaps by the next road trip, an outfielder will have to be moved off the roster. DeShields, Ryan Rua and Nomar Mazara have minor-league options.

General manager Jon Daniels said that the Stubbs move won’t have an immediate impact on DeShields.

“It does not directly affect him, at least not as of today,” Daniels said.

Stubbs will fill a role similar to what he had after latching onto the Rangers in September. He will be a bench player who can be a late-game defensive replacement and pinch runner, in addition to giving outfielders an occasional day off.

“It’s up to Banny, but we haven’t had a full complement on the bench this year,” Daniels said.

Stubbs, a native Texan, exercised the out in his minor-league deal late in spring camp after the Rangers asked him to go to Triple A. He found a big-league opportunity with Atlanta and was on their roster until getting designated for assignment Monday and released Tuesday.

This story was originally published May 7, 2016 at 11:51 AM with the headline "Rangers add veteran outfielder Drew Stubbs to roster."