Thursday newsletter time: Rangers’ injury report not as gruesome as others in MLB

Jeff Wilson March 2, 2023

(Texas Rangers/Ben Ludeman)

Injuries are as much a part of the early days of spring training as pitchers getting in their work and hitters working on their timing.

Jacob deGrom has dealt with one, though he wouldn’t call the soreness in his left side an injury.

Three other Rangers are dealing with some issues now.

The two most notable nicks belong to right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Jose Leclerc.

Eovaldi is dealing with … soreness in his left side and won’t make his next start. He must have caught it from deGrom. The Rangers are going to treat it cautiously but don’t expect it to be a big deal. Eovaldi does have recent injury history, as just about every Rangers starter does.

Leclerc has a sore neck, which also doesn’t seem like a big deal, but he is planning to pitch in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic and the Rangers are weighing if he should go now that the neck has flared up.

Backup catcher Sam Huff left his start Wednesday with shoulder stiffness. He will be evaluated further this week.

These aren’t to the degree of the injuries that have sidelined some fairly big names in the National League (Gavin Lux, torn ACL; Joe Musgrove, broken toe; Brendan Rodgers, dislocated shoulder) and that’s a good thing.

It’s possible the Rangers’ ailments are nothing more than just the aftershock of doing full-speed baseball activities for the first time since last season.

That’s the Rangers’ hope, at least.

Weather issues

Things just aren’t very springy in Arizona.

Rain forced both of the Rangers’ split-squad games — a pair of losses, 5-1 and 4-2 — Wednesday to be halted in the seventh inning.

This comes after having more days in the 40s and 50s this spring than in the 60s and 70s, or at least it seems that way.

Innings are already short with so many pitchers in big-league camp. Those who couldn’t pitch Wednesday might have to get their work in a B game or simulated game.

The good news is that starters Andrew Heaney and Glenn Otto got in their work, as did Spencer Howard, Jake Latz and Cole Ragans.

Heaney worked 1 2/3 innings in his first start of the spring and allowed two solo homers to the Dodgers. Otto worked a scoreless first inning against the Padres but couldn’t get out of the second, allowing three runs.

Otto’s ERA sits at 12.27 after two outings. He didn’t have a great spring last year, but was the choice from Triple A Round Rock when the Rangers needed a starter for the first time. He is also a candidate to open the season in the Rangers’ bullpen.

ICYMI …

Now that games are in full swing, some storylines are going to develop. Injuries have popped up with the Rangers and across baseball. Early stars of Cactus League play will start to emerge that weren’t on the radar before spring training started. Rangers Today will have it all. Get full access here. If you need to see what a subscription will get you, here’s our latest in case you missed it.

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