The Texas Rangers offense is floundering. The bullpen is rock solid but is bordering on overworked. Recent moves may provide an idea of where reinforcements may come from.
On Tuesday the Rangers announced that they were transferring the rehab assignment of infielder Cody Freeman from Double-A Frisco to Triple-A Round Rock. He's not considered an active player yet, but they're assigning him there to keep him within the state while Frisco is on a road trip.
Texas also made a minor league transaction of note. The Rangers moved reliever Josh Sborz from Frisco to Round Rock after sending him there more than a week ago.
Both moves may represent the Rangers arranging a potential pipeline of reinforcements next month - or sooner.
Texas Rangers left fielder Cody Freeman. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Freeman was diagnosed with a lumbar stress reaction in February and missed the rest of spring training. He began playing rehab games last week in Arizona and was moved to Frisco so he could continue his work against better competition.
In seven rehab games he's slashed .217/.222/.261 with five RBI. He's eligible to be activated from the 10-day injured list when he's ready. Notably, he played in three straight games for Frisco to end last weekend.
Dropping him in Round Rock means he'll face the best pitching he's seen since last season in the Majors. It should give Texas a better barometer of his progress. Freeman slashed .228/.258/.342 with three home runs and 15 RBI in the Majors a year ago. He was also the 2025 Rangers minor league player of the year. He can play multiple infield positions and can play the outfield.
With shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Josh Smith likely to be out at least another couple of weeks, Freeman could be a reinforcement off the bench. The Rangers are using Ezequiel Duran at shortstop and Justin Foscue at second base. Michael Helman can play both infield and outfield, but Freeman is a better hitter.
The Rangers non-tendered Sborz - who recorded the final out for Texas in the 2023 World Series - after last season when he missed all of 2025 recovering from shoulder surgery. He was signed on a minor league deal and has been in the system trying to regain the velocity he struggled to recapture last season.
Sborz is 1-1 with a 6.91 ERA in 13 games, all in relief. He's struck out 16 and walked 12 in 14.1 innings. While he's allowed 11 runs, batters are only hitting .212 against him, a far cry from the .327 he allowed last season. The improvement hasn't shown up in the raw numbers. Eleven of his 13 games have been at Round Rock. He threw two scoreless innings in two games at Frisco last week.
The right-hander probably isn't ready yet. But the Texas bullpen's workload is worth tracking. Three relievers have already appeared in 20 or more games - Cole Winn , Jalen Beeks and Tyler Alexander . Winn just went on the injured list with right arm fatigue. Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis have 19 appearances each. Texas doesn't get a day off until June 4.
By then, the Rangers may need an arm whether Sborz is ready or not.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers/onsi as Rangers Latest Transactions May Be Arranging June Reinforcements .
