Rangers Notes: DeShields Earns Texas Rookie Honors

Delino DeShields stole 25 bases for Texas last season while leading the ballclub with 10 triples.

Outfielder Delino DeShields was named the 2015 Texas Rangers Rookie of the Year by the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the BBWAA, wrapping up a breakthrough campaign in which he emerged as an everyday player and helped spark the top of the lineup.

Acquired last winter as a Rule 5 Draft pick from Houston, DeShields started the season on the bench behind incumbent center fielder Leonys Martin. By the beginning of May, however, Martin’s playing time had become more sporadic, and DeShields saw his batting average climb as he received more starts.

Martin made what turned out to be his final start in a Texas uniform on Aug. 2, and he had just one more at-bat the rest of the season.

DeShields, meanwhile, saw action in a total of 121 games for the American League West champion Rangers, hitting .261 with 25 stolen bases, 22 doubles and a team-high 10 triples.

He also drove in 37 runs and showed terrific plate discipline by drawing 53 walks, the most by an A.L. rookie last year and trailing only National League rookies Joc Pederson (101) and Kris Bryant (77).

Other than a mid-summer stint on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, the 23-year-old DeShields spent the bulk of the season as Texas’ regular leadoff batter, allowing Shin-Soo Choo to move further down in the lineup.

Mazara Headlines Roster Additions

The Rangers added four players to their 40-man roster Nov. 20 – outfielder Nomar Mazara and three pitchers – in order to protect them from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

Mazara is considered to be the team’s top minor-league prospect after Joey Gallo reached the majors last summer while Jorge Alfaro and Jake Thompson were traded to Philadelphia.

Joining Mazara as first-time 40-man roster additions were left-hander Yohander Mendez and righties Jose Leclerc and Connor Sadzeck.

Texas also traded right-hander Spencer Patton to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for 19-year-old middle infielder Frandy Delarosa.

Profar, Brinson Named to All-AFL Squad

Former top prospect Jurickson Profar was one of two players from the Rangers’ system selected for the All-Arizona Fall League Team by MLB, along with 21-year-old outfielder Lewis Brinson.

Profar was in line to succeed Ian Kinsler at second base when Texas traded Kinsler to Detroit, but he spent much of the last two seasons coming back from a right shoulder injury instead.

Limited to designated hitter duties in the AFL, Profar hit .267 across 20 games for the Surprise Saguaros with six doubles and 20 runs batted in.

Brinson, who was the Rangers’ first-round pick in the 2012 draft, batted .300 for Surprise and connected for three triples with five stolen bases.

Gimenez Signed; Jones, Tepesch Non-Tendered

The Rangers and catcher Chris Gimenez agreed to a one-year, $975,000 contract this week while outfielder James Jones and right-hander Nick Tepesch were non-tendered by the ballclub, thus becoming free agents.

The 32-year-old Gimenez spent the first four months of last season at Triple-A Round Rock, but he joined the big-league club down the stretch when Carlos Corporan went down with a bruised thumb.

In another roster move, third baseman/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan was acquired from Seattle to complete the November trade that sent Leonys Martin to the Mariners.

Rangers Notes: Maddux Out as Texas Pitching Coach

Mike Maddux, who had been the Rangers’ pitching coach for the last seven years, is likely to be wearing a different uniform next season.

The Rangers will have a new pitching coach next season after Mike Maddux announced Thursday that he (along with his brother Greg) is leaving the organization.

Maddux had been with the ballclub since 2009, and he was a key figure in helping to shape the Texas pitching staff that appeared in two straight World Series.

Earlier this month, the 54-year-old Maddux was offered a contract for next season, but he will instead explore coaching and managerial opportunities with other ballclubs.

“My time in Texas was great,” Maddux said. “I’ll miss it. I made a lot of good friends and helped develop a winning culture.”

To that point, when Maddux arrived the Rangers’ pitching corps had not posted an earned run average below 4.00 since 1990. Under his tutelage, the Texas staff reeled off four years in a row (2010-13) with a sub-4.00 ERA.

The first two of those years resulted in the first American League pennants in franchise history, marked by a culture change that revolved around the team’s starters pitching deeper into ballgames.

Maddux is credited with the development of many of the Rangers’ successful young starters over the last few seasons, including Derek Holland, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Nick Martinez and Martin Perez.

“I want to thank Mike for his outstanding contributions to the Texas Rangers organization,” general manager Jon Daniels said in a statement.

“He has played a major role in the success we have enjoyed in the last seven years. His dedication to developing and improving out major-league pitching staff is greatly appreciated.”

The departure of Maddux leaves the Rangers with three vacancies on Jeff Banister’s big-league staff: bullpen coach, hitting coach and now pitching coach.

Three internal candidates – Jeff Andrews, Danny Clark and Brad Holman – have already been interviewed for Maddux’s old position.

Fielder Earns Comeback Honors

Designated hitter/first baseman Prince Fielder was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting News on Monday, receiving 112 of 156 votes cast by his fellow A.L. players.

The 31-year-old Fielder saw action in all but four games for Texas this season, a far cry from his injury-stained 2014 campaign when he appeared in just 42 games before having season-ending neck surgery.

This year, Fielder stayed healthy and put up the power numbers the Rangers were hoping for when they acquired him from Detroit two winters ago.

Batting .305 with 28 doubles, 23 home runs and 98 RBIs this season, Fielder made the All-Star team for the sixth time in his career.

Corporan, Richardson Elect Free Agency

Catcher Carlos Corporan and outfielder Antoan Richardson both elected free agency after they cleared waivers and declined outright minor-league assignments.

The 31-year-old Corporan was acquired from Houston in late January and spent the first half of the season as the backup to starting catcher Robinson Chirinos.

Richardson, 32, underwent back surgery near the end of spring training and appeared in just 13 games in the Rangers’ minor-league system this year.

Rangers Claim A.L. West Lead following Sweep over Astros

Mike Napoli (left) celebrates his three-run homer with Prince Fielder in the first inning Wednesday at Globe Life Park.

Texas obtained sole possession of first place in the American League West on Tuesday with a 6-5 walk-off victory over Houston, marking the first time this season that the Rangers have occupied the top spot in the division.

The win was part of a four-game sweep at Globe Life Park in Arlington that turned the tables on the Astros, who had been in first place for most of the year. After building a seven-game lead earlier this summer, Houston now finds itself 2.5 games behind Texas.

With just over two weeks to play in the regular season, the American League West division title has suddenly become the Rangers’ to lose.

Following a 5-3 win Monday in which Prince Fielder hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth, the Rangers jumped to an early lead with four runs in the first inning on Tuesday.

Starter Derek Holland quickly allowed the Astros back into the game when he gave up three runs in the second and two more in the fourth, but Adrian Beltre hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to tie the ballgame at 5-5.

Fielder singled against Oliver Perez to start the ninth inning and was pinch-run for by Drew Stubbs, who advanced to third on a single by Beltre and then scored the game-winning run on Mitch Moreland’s sacrifice fly.

On Wednesday, Houston All-Star Dallas Keuchel turned in his worst start of the year as part of a 14-3 Texas rout, allowing nine runs (all earned) on 11 hits in less than five innings pitched.

Keuchel’s mound counterpart, left-hander Martin Perez, scattered nine base hits but limited the damage against him to one run over seven frames.

In the series finale on Thursday, Colby Lewis – who led the American League last season with 14 losses – tossed six quality innings and was pulled with the Rangers clinging to a 3-2 advantage.

Texas scored five more times off the Houston bullpen while the relief trio of Keone Kela, Sam Dyson and Ross Ohlendorf was nearly perfect over the final three frames, sealing the sweep and helping Lewis earn his 16th win of the year.

Last Friday, Lewis retired the first 21 Oakland batters he faced before Danny Valencia doubled to lead off the eighth inning, which marked the deepest a Texas pitcher has taken a no-hitter since Yu Darvish came within one out of the feat in April 2013.

Chirinos Limited after Return from DL

Catcher Robinson Chirinos – who missed the entire month of August with a strained left shoulder – has been limited to just three plate appearances since returning from the disabled list on Sept. 7.

With both Chirinos and Carlos Corporan (left thumb) on the active roster but essentially unable to catch, Chris Gimenez and Bobby Wilson have combined to start 45 of the last 46 games for Texas behind the plate.

Round Rock Bids for PCL Title

While the Rangers and Astros continue to battle for the division crown, their Triple-A affiliates are meeting head-to-head in the Pacific Coast League’s best-of-five championship series.

The Round Rock Express (Rangers) advanced to the PCL finals with a 2-1 win over Oklahoma City (Dodgers) last Friday, then split the first two games against Fresno (Astros) this week.

Rangers Notes: Texas Settles for Split in Seattle

Left-hander Martin Perez gave up five earned runs in five innings pitched Wednesday against the Mariners.

Despite a lackluster West Coast road trip that produced a 5-5 record, the Rangers were able to maintain a slim lead over Minnesota for the second American League Wild Card spot.

At 73-66, Texas is one game ahead of the Twins (72-67) and three games ahead of the Angels (70-69) as it prepares for a crucial homestand against division foes Oakland and Houston.

The ballclub had to settle for a series split at Safeco Field this week, taking each of the first two games against Seattle before Vidal Nuno and Felix Hernandez shut down the Rangers’ offense on Wednesday and Thursday.

Adrian Beltre broke a scoreless tie Monday with a two-run single off Roenis Elias in the top of the sixth, and Rougned Odor came home on a wild pitch by Rob Rasmussen one inning later to give Texas a 3-0 lead.

Yovani Gallardo, meanwhile, scattered five hits over five and one-third shutout innings of work, and the relief trio of Andrew Faulkner, Sam Dyson and Shawn Tolleson combined to secure the Labor Day victory for the Rangers.

On Tuesday, Cole Hamels received plenty of early run support from the Texas lineup – including homers from Shin-Soo Choo, Mitch Moreland and Rougned Odor – as he earned his ninth win of the season.

Seattle climbed back into the ballgame with three runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth, but Keone Kela and Tolleson combined to retire the final six batters of the game and nail down the Rangers’ 9-6 victory.

On the heels of a nine-run outburst, Texas was held to just one hit in a 6-0 loss Wednesday to Vidal Nuno and the Mariners, and Nelson Cruz clubbed his 40th home run of the season Thursday to support Felix Hernandez and lift Seattle to a 5-0 win.

Prior to their four-game set at Safeco Field, the Rangers had taken two out of three against the Padres in San Diego before dropping two of three to the Angels in Los Angeles.

Gallo, Stubbs among Roster Additions

Infielder Joey Gallo was one of six players added to the team when active rosters expanded last Tuesday, along with recent acquisition Drew Stubbs and catcher Carlos Corporan, outfielder Josh Hamilton and right-handed pitchers Luke Jackson and Ross Ohlendorf.

Spots on the 40-man roster were created for Ohlendorf and Stubbs when left-hander Alex Claudio was placed on the 60-day disabled list and right-hander Roman Mendez was designated for assignment.

Hamilton’s availability for the final few weeks of the season is now in doubt, however, after it was announced that he will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his ailing left knee Friday.

The 34-year-old Hamilton was used twice as a pinch-hitter on the Rangers’ recent road trip but has not made a start since Aug. 15.

Scheppers Recalled from Round Rock

Right-handed pitcher Tanner Scheppers was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock before Sunday’s game in Anaheim, and on Wednesday he saw his first big-league action since Aug. 1.

Scheppers, who had been placed on the 15-day disabled list with left knee inflammation on Aug. 2, induced a double play and struck out a batter in his one and one-third innings pitched versus Seattle.

Rangers Notes: Hamels Acquired in Eight-Player Deal

Cole Hamels pitched into the eighth inning but received a no-decision in his first Texas start on Saturday.

The Rangers reeled in the biggest catch of last week’s non-waiver trade deadline when they acquired starter Cole Hamels as part of an eight-player swap with Philadelphia.

The Phillies also sent relief pitcher Jake Diekman and cash to Texas in the deal, while the Rangers’ return package included Matt Harrison and five minor-leaguers – Jorge Alfaro, Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff, Jake Thompson and Nick Williams.

The trade, which was agreed to on Wednesday but not finalized until Friday, came only after Hamels used his limited no-trade clause to block a potential deal with the Astros.

“I have a lot of catching up to do,” Hamels said after joining his new team Friday, “but with this group of guys I think it’s going to be pretty easy because they’re true competitors, and it’s fun to watch them on the field and know that those are guys that are going to be behind me.”

A three-time National League All-Star, Hamels posted a career record of 114-90 with a 3.30 ERA across parts of 10 seasons for the Phillies, throwing a no-hitter on July 25 against the Cubs in his final start with Philadelphia.

Making his A.L. debut in a Texas uniform two nights ago, Hamels pitched into the eighth inning and was lifted with a 7-4 lead, but Tanner Scheppers allowed three consecutive run-scoring hits as San Francisco rallied to tie the game.

After a scoreless tenth inning, Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt each connected for solo home runs in the top of the eleventh to lead the Giants to a 9-7 comeback victory.

Although the Rangers’ bullpen faltered and denied Hamels a chance at a win in his first game with Texas, manager Jeff Banister was still pleased with the results put forth by the club’s new No. 1 starter.

“Given everything involved,” Banister said, “coming off the no-hitter, the volume of pitches he threw in the no-hitter, everything swirling around the trade and the travel getting here … I really felt like he threw the ball well.”

Following Hamels in the Rangers’ revamped rotation, left-hander Martin Perez delivered the best performance of his injury-shortened season on the way to a 2-1 win in Sunday’s rubber game. He retired the first 14 batters he faced before Brandon Belt and Justin Maxwell reached, respectively, on an error and an infield single in the top of the fifth.

Perez was pulled after allowing a one-out double to Angel Pagan in the ninth, and the Texas bullpen had to work around trouble before Hunter Pence grounded into a game-ending double play.

Dyson, Wilson Added to Roster

While the trade for Hamels grabbed most of the headlines, Texas also made a pair of under-the-radar moves Friday aimed at strengthening the team’s relief pitching and catching corps.

Right-hander Sam Dyson was acquired from Miami in exchange for backstop Tomas Telis and minor-league lefty Cody Ege, and veteran catcher Bobby Wilson was picked up on a waiver claim from Tampa Bay.

Dyson, 27, was activated Saturday and made back-to-back appearances against the Giants, including a scoreless outing Sunday in which he earned his first career save. The 32-year-old Wilson, meanwhile, had two hits and caught all 11 innings in his Texas debut on Saturday.

Shoulder Strain Sends Chirinos to DL

Both of the Rangers’ Opening Day catchers are now on the disabled list after Robinson Chirinos was placed on the 15-day DL Saturday (retroactive to Friday) with a strained left shoulder.

Backup catcher Carlos Corporan has also been on the disabled list since mid-July with a sprain in his left thumb, leaving the ballclub’s pitch-calling duties to Chris Gimenez – who had his contract purchased Friday from Triple-A Round Rock – and Bobby Wilson.

In other roster moves, both Wandy Rodriguez and Ross Ohlendorf were designated for assignment by Texas over the past week, and Ohlendorf was placed on unconditional release waivers on Friday.

In the bullpen, late-inning reliever Keone Kela was optioned to Double-A Frisco Saturday in an effort to limit his workload. Kela had averaged a total of 44 innings pitched in each of the past two seasons in the minors, and he has already thrown 43 and two-thirds innings for the Rangers this year.