The Texas Rangers have made several moves to their bullpen this week and more reinforcements could be coming soon.
Right-hander Carter Baulmer , who has been on the injured list since April with a right intercostal strain, began his injury rehab assignment on Monday with Triple-A Round Rock. Meanwhile, left-hander Robert Garcia , who has also been on the injured list since April with a left rotator cuff strain, is set to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, per Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports.
It's a positive step forward for both pitchers, who were considered key pieces at the bullpen coming out of spring training.
Baumler pitched one inning for the Express in their game against Albuquerque. He pitched a clean inning. It's the first of what should be several appearances as the Rangers want Baumler to pitch multiple innings and to pitch him back-to-back outings before activating him.
He was a Rule 5 selection last year and pitched in four games with a 3.18 ERA before he suffered the injury.
Wilson reported that the Rangers want Garcia to make two or three appearances with Round Rock before Texas activates him. The hope is that Garcia will be ready to be activated next week when the Rangers are on the road at the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks .
The Rangers acquired Garcia in a trade from the Washington Nationals in 2024. He was 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in nine appearances before he suffered the injury.
Texas Rangers shortstop Ezequiel Duran. Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Rangers have been doing damage in the leadoff spot this season, especially after moving designated hitter Joc Pederson
into the spot in May. But on Wednesday it was Ezequiel
Duran who helped set a franchise record.
Duran hit a home run to lead off the bottom of the first, giving the Rangers 11 lead off home runs this season. That's a franchise record, per notes provided by the Rangers.
Texas Rangers pinch hitter Logan O'Hoppe. Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Rangers have been one of the best teams at home this season and it's a reason they're still in the race to reach the playoffs. If Texas is going to clinch a playoff berth, those good vibes at home are going to have to continue.
After beating the Athletics on Tuesday, the Rangers clinched their sixth consecutive home series victory, which is a Globe Life Field record. The park opened in 2020.
Texas lost two out of three games to the Chicago White Sox on July 20-22 before the streak began. The Rangers took three out of four from the Seattle Mariners (July 24-27), two out of three from the San Francisco Giants (Aug. 3-5), two out of three from the Baltimore Orioles (Aug. 7-9), two out of three from the Washington Nationals (Aug. 18-20) and two out of three from the Los Angeles Angels (Aug. 21-23).
The Rangers have four more home series remaining, beginning with a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers/onsi as Rangers Notes: Carter Baumler Starts Injury Rehab, Robert Garcia to Follow .
