Beltran back in lineup ahead of Rangers home debut
Carlos Beltran returned to the Texas Rangers’ lineup Tuesday for the finale of two-game series against the Colorado Rockies, batting third and playing right field as Shin-Soo Choo got a day off.
Beltran appeared as a pinch-hitter the past two games after bruising his left quadriceps Saturday at Houston. He is expected to resume designated hitter duties Wednesday as the Rangers open an eight-game homestand.
It’s always huge when you have your crowd and your support. Every time I got to play against the Rangers I saw that, a long time ago and recently. They’re passionate about the team, which is great.
Carlos Beltran
The opener will mark the first home game for Beltran, Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress since being acquired last week ahead of the trade deadline.
“To be home, it’s going to be fun,” Beltran said. “It’s always huge when you have your crowd and your support. Every time I got to play against the Rangers I saw that, a long time ago and recently. They’re passionate about the team, which is great.”
Beltran, who went 1 for 4 Tuesday with a run-scoring single in the eighth inning, is a career .300 hitter in Arlington in 170 at-bats. He said that he doesn’t concentrate on whether a ballpark is hitter-friendly, but how he feels going into each game.
“I like it,” Beltran said. “Sometimes you go to a ballpark where it’s small and the ball carries well, and you struggle. There’s ballparks that are huge and big, and you feel like you’re good at the plate.”
With Choo out of the lineup, the Rangers had a bench that also included Lucroy, Jurickson Profar, Ryan Rua and Delino DeShields. A deep bench leaves manager Jeff Banister with plenty of options, but also an obstacle.
“You need a quality bench,” he said. “The challenge is finding the opportunity to have them all engaged in the game and getting enough at-bats to be productive when they’re in the game.”
Perez with goals
Left-hander Martin Perez said that he is content with how he is pitching, even after allowing five runs Friday at Houston, but he has a few things he wants to improve Wednesday against the Rockies.
One thing the Rangers are asking him to do is to pitch inside more. Doing so will help keep hitters from diving toward the outside corner, where Perez makes a living with his sinker and changeup.
“I just need to keep working,” he said.
Perez also knows that one inning got away from him against the Astros, who found holes as he was looking for a double play grounder. Houston scored four times in the third on five hits and a walk.
One big inning has been a pitfall for Perez throughout his career and is something Rangers coaches continue to press him to conquer.
“We’re going to continue to have [that conversation] until it’s locked in,” Banister said. “There are games where he’s done it and games when it’s gotten away from him.”
PItching updates
Left-hander Derek Holland is scheduled to throw 45 to 50 pitches Wednesday in his second rehab start with Triple A Round Rock, then will head to the bullpen and throw 20 more pitches as he nears activation from the 60-day disabled list.
Holland, recovering from shoulder inflammation, can be activated Aug. 20 during a three-game series at Tampa Bay. If the Rangers stay in rotation through an Aug. 18 off day and use Holland two days later, A.J. Griffin could be pushed back a day and Lucas Harrell could be transitioned to the bullpen.
Holland won’t be the only pitcher to make an important step Wednesday, as right-hander Colby Lewis throws off a mound for the first time since being shut down in late June by an oblique strain.
Lewis has been throwing to 120 feet and doing flat-ground work. He is eligible to come off the DL on Aug. 21, but could be on hold until Sept. 1.
Jeff Wilson: 817-390-7760, @JeffWilson_FWST
This story was originally published August 9, 2016 at 7:57 PM with the headline "Beltran back in lineup ahead of Rangers home debut."