Texas Rangers option Spencer Howard to Triple-A Round Rock, recall OF Zach Reks

ARLINGTON — When Spencer Howard was acquired by the Rangers final season he stated he was excited to have a set routine, which was one thing he stated he didn’t have with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Rangers are cognizant of that, however within the meantime, the routine for Howard will occur with one other jersey on.

Howard, the previous prime prospect within the Phillies system, was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday, a day after he made his second look off the IL. Howard, changing opener Garrett Richards for the second-consecutive time within the rotation, threw 1.2 innings and had three strikeouts, but additionally allowed two walks and an contained in the park residence run.

Instead of citing one other pitcher, the Rangers recalled outfielder Zach Reks, whom they acquired for money issues from the Los Angeles Dodgers final 12 months. Reks is within the lineup on Saturday.

Howard’s demotion to Triple-A is strictly that from a literal sense, however Rangers supervisor Chris Woodward doesn’t have a look at it that approach. He stated he favored what he noticed from Howard, including that there’s been some encouraging indicators of life on his pitches of late. At this level within the season, although, Woodward stated the Rangers want to reserve a spot within the rotation for somebody who might go deeper in video games.

The Rangers have hopes that Howard shall be a starter like that sooner or later. They hoped to construct him again up to that threshold within the first month of the season, however an IL stint for a blister disrupted these plans.

“He needs to go down and build up to 90-100 [pitches] to get back here,” Woodward stated earlier than Saturday’s recreation. “And then he’s obviously got to throw well.”

Woodward expects Howard to accomplish that final half. And if that occurs, then Howard could possibly be again within the Rangers’ rotation quickly. Woodward stated there isn’t a set date, but when he can construct up to longer begins and do effectively in these, it would solely be two or three begins again within the minors.

In the meantime, starter Glenn Otto — introduced up lately from Triple-A Round Rock — might slide right into a extra mounted spot within the rotation. He’s had two begins for the Rangers, together with his first MLB win in Oakland final Friday. Opening Day starter Jon Gray can be anticipated to come off the IL quickly. Gray went on the IL for his second time this season on April 21 with a knee sprain. He pitched in a dwell batting follow session on Friday and will begin when the Rangers go to Philadelphia this week.

Speaking of Philadelphia: final season, Howard was known as up 4 completely different instances by the Phillies earlier than he was traded to the Rangers within the Kyle Gibson deal. On the floor, getting dropped again to Triple-A might really feel like a return to that anti-routine Howard had final 12 months, however Woodward stated it’s only a continuation of the plan he had on the Major League degree.

“We’re actually keeping him on that routine,” Woodward stated, “we just don’t have the luxury of doing that here.”

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