OF Evan Carter placed on 10-day IL with a lumbar sprain, RHP Yerry Rodríguez optioned to Triple-A Round Rock
Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced the following roster moves prior to Tuesday night’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Globe Life Field:
- Right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi activated from 15-day Injured List (Right groin strain).
- Outfielder Wyatt Langford activated from 10-day Injured List (Right hamstring strain).
- Outfielder Evan Carter placed on 10-day Injured List with a lumbar sprain retroactive to May 27.
- Right-handed pitcher Yerry Rodríguez optioned to Round Rock (AAA).
The 34-year-old Eovaldi is scheduled to serve as Texas’ starting pitcher in tonight’s contest. He is expected to work on a limited pitch count after he did not complete a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment following his placement on the Injured List on May 3. Tonight’s outing would be Eovaldi’s first game action since May 2 vs. Washington (W, 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 SO, 92 pitches/58 strikes), a start in which he exited in the sixth inning after experiencing tightness in his right groin.
The right-hander has gone 2-2, 2.61 ERA (12 ER/41.1 IP) with 44 strikeouts and 19 walks across 7 appearances/starts for the Rangers this season, as he still ranks among the club’s leaders in quality starts (3rd, 3), strikeouts (4th), and wins (T5th). He posted a 0.79 ERA (1 ER/11.1 IP) over his last 2 starts prior to the Injured List stint to drop his season ERA from 3.30 to 2.61, which would rank 11th in the American League if he qualified.
Langford, 22, missed the Rangers last 20 games with a right hamstring strain suffered while running to first base on a ground ball during Texas’ May 4 contest in Kansas City. He appeared in three games on rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock last Friday-through-Sunday and went 2-for-10 (.200) with 2 singles and one walk, making starts in left field (2 G) and at designated hitter (1 G).
The former fourth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida, Langford has batted .224/.295/.293/.588 (26-116) with one home run, one triple, 3 doubles, and 11 RBI in 31 games for Texas during his rookie campaign, making starts defensively at designated hitter (19 G) and left field (12 G). He hit an inside-the-park home run – his first Major League home run – on April 28 vs. Cincinnati, becoming the fourth player in club history to record an inside-the-parker as his first MLB homer.
Carter, 21, has batted .188/.272/.361/.633 (27-144) with 5 home runs, 2 triples, 6 doubles, and 15 RBI in 45 games (38 starts) for Texas this season, making starts defensively in left field (29 G), right field (7 G), and center field (2 G). The first day he is eligible to be activated is June 6.
Rodríguez, 26, has gone 1-0 with a 6.88 ERA (13 ER/17.0 IP) with 11 walks and 12 strikeouts across 12 relief appearances spanning two stints with Texas this season: Opening Day-April 13, May 3-May 27.
With today’s transactions, Texas remains at the 40-man limit on the club’s Major League roster, along with nine players on the 60-day Injured List: Cody Bradford, Brock Burke, Carson Coleman, Jacob deGrom, Justin Foscue, Josh Jung, Tyler Mahle, Austin Pruitt, Max Scherzer.
