Rangers Notes: Gonzalez Spins Shutout in Second Start

Chi Chi Gonzalez (left) is greeted by catcher Robinson Chirinos after his 4-0 shutout Friday in Kansas City.

Making just his second major-league start, Texas right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez scattered three hits and tossed a complete-game shutout in the Rangers’ 4-0 win over the Royals last Friday at Kauffman Stadium.

Gonzalez, 23, very nearly made the team out of spring training before he was sent to Triple-A for more seasoning, and he has pitched well in each of his first three big-league appearances so far this year.

He required 116 pitches to get through his shutout against Kansas City, and Texas manager Jeff Banister admitted that the decision to send Gonzalez back out to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning was not an easy one.

“This is a young man that’s fresh in the big leagues,” Banister said. “I’m very conscious of where he is. I felt like there was not a lot of stress on any of the innings. I felt he was still in control, the velocity and pitch ability was still there.”

The complete-game shutout thrown by Gonzalez – which was the first by a Rangers rookie since Derek Holland in 2009 – helped Texas move into second place behind Houston in the American League West.

Backed by a seven-inning quality start from southpaw Wandy Rodriguez on Saturday, the Rangers took two out of three games from the Royals over the weekend before losing two of three this week in Oakland.

Nick Martinez gave up just one hit and did not allow a run across his six innings pitched Tuesday, and the Texas bullpen held off a late rally to preserve a 2-1 victory over Sonny Gray and the A’s.

On Wednesday, however, a 10-strikeout performance by Yovani Gallardo went for naught as the bullpen failed to hold a 4-2 lead, with three Texas relievers giving up one run apiece in a 5-4 loss to Oakland.

The Rangers’ relief corps was even worse in a lopsided 7-0 defeat Thursday afternoon, as the trio of Sam Freeman, Jon Edwards and Ross Detwiler combined to allow six earned runs on three hits and three walks in just one inning of work.

Despite losing their series at O.co Coliseum, the Rangers were provided with an opportunity to face Athletics reliever Pat Venditte, a switch-pitcher who logged three and one-third scoreless frames against Texas while throwing both left- and right-handed.

Tate Selected in First Round of Draft

With the No. 4 overall pick in Monday’s first-year player draft (their highest selection since 1986), the Rangers took right-handed pitcher Dillon Tate out of the University of California-Santa Barbara.

Texas chose the 21-year-old Tate after shortstops had been taken with each of the first three picks – Dansby Swanson (Diamondbacks), Alex Bregman (Astros) and Brendan Rodgers (Rockies).

Tate was converted from a closer into a starter last season at UCSB, posting an 8-5 record with 111 strikeouts across 14 starts while relying on an above-average fastball and a sharp breaking slider.

In the second round of the draft Monday night, Texas picked high school outfielder Eric Jenkins at No. 45 overall. Jenkins, who had committed to UNC-Wilmington, projects as a center fielder whose strongest tools are speed and hitting for contact.

Gonzalez, Russell to Join Rangers Hall of Fame

Two-time American League Most Valuable Player Juan Gonzalez and former All-Star reliever Jeff Russell were announced this week as the newest members of the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame.

Gonzalez hit 372 home runs and racked up 1,180 RBIs — both franchise records — during his time in a Rangers uniform (1989-99, 2002-03), winning A.L. MVP awards in both ’96 and ’98 while anchoring the Texas lineup during the club’s first three playoff appearances.

Russell (1985-92, ’95-96) began his Texas career as a starter before he was moved to the bullpen full-time in 1989. He remains the team’s all-time leader with 406 relief appearances and ranks second behind John Wetteland with 134 saves.

The pair will be honored as the 18th and 19th members of the Rangers’ Hall of Fame in a pre-game ceremony July 11 at Globe Life Park.

Texas Activates Blanks, Options Patton

First baseman/outfielder Kyle Blanks was activated from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday while right-hander Spencer Patton was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding roster move.

The Rangers also released left-handed pitcher Mike Kickham – who had been claimed on waivers from Seattle last month – from the Round Rock roster.

Rangers Notes: Win Streak Reaches Three in Houston

Outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. (right) celebrates Wednesday’s 11-3 victory with Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus at Minute Maid Park.

The Rangers’ first winning streak of the season climbed to three games this week with a sweep of the Houston Astros, who themselves had won 10 games in a row and occupied first place in the A.L. West division before the series against Texas.

Houston jumped to an early lead on Monday when Jose Altuve was issued a leadoff walk by Ross Detwiler and scored on a sacrifice fly by Evan Gattis, and Texas trailed for much of the ballgame, 1-0. Delino DeShields put himself into scoring position with a walk and a stolen base in the eighth inning, and an RBI single by Jake Smolinski plated DeShields with the tying run.

Adrian Beltre then connected for a leadoff double in the top of the ninth and came around to score the go-ahead run on a sac fly from Robinson Chirinos, and closer Neftali Feliz pitched a perfect bottom of the ninth to seal the 2-1 win.

In a matchup of pitchers facing the clubs that originally drafted them, Texas left-hander Wandy Rodriguez fared much better than Houston right-hander Scott Feldman on Tuesday, striking out eight batters across eight innings while allowing just one run as the Rangers sailed to a 7-1 victory.

Texas raced to a quick 4-0 lead against Feldman when Prince Fielder collected a two-run double and Carlos Peguero delivered a two-run homer in the first inning, and Rodriguez settled down after giving up a solo home run to Luis Valbuena in the bottom of the first.

Peguero again led the way for the Rangers with a pair of solo homers and three RBIs in Wednesday’s series finale, when Texas also received multiple runs batted in from Chirinos, DeShields and Shin-Soo Choo.

Colby Lewis, the beneficiary of an 11-run outburst by the Rangers lineup, scattered six hits over eight innings of work as Texas held on for an 11-3 win to complete the sweep at Minute Maid Park.

Prior to their series in Houston, the Rangers had dropped two out of three games to the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park over the weekend.

Texas carried a 5-0 lead into the eighth inning of last Friday’s series opener, but relievers Shawn Tolleson, Roman Mendez and Neftali Feliz proved ineffective out of the bullpen as the A’s scored seven unanswered runs en route to a 7-5 win.

Another collapse by the Rangers’ bullpen on Saturday was overshadowed when Choo connected for a game-tying three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh, and Rougned Odor gave Texas its first walk-off victory of the year, 8-7, with a bases-loaded single in the tenth.

Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt and right fielder Josh Reddick combined to drive in six runs Sunday while Sonny Gray recorded 10 strikeouts to lead the Athletics to a series-clinching 7-1 win over the Rangers.

Texas Claims Kickham from Seattle

Left-handed pitcher Mike Kickham was acquired on a waiver claim from the Mariners on Tuesday and optioned to Triple-A Round Rock, with outfielder Ryan Rua getting transferred from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list in a concurrent roster move.

Kickham, 26, had posted a record of 0-2 with a 7.29 earned run average across five appearances (all starts) this season for Triple-A Tacoma in the Seattle organization, which had obtained him in a trade with the Chicago Cubs in January.

The entirety of Kickham’s major-league service time came with San Francisco in 2013 and ’14, when he went 0-3 with a career ERA of 10.98 in just over 30 innings pitched.

Rule 5 Pick Verrett Returned to Mets

Twenty-four-year-old right-hander Logan Verrett was returned to the New York Mets this week after being designated for assignment by Texas and getting cleared through waivers.

Verrett had been acquired by Baltimore as part of last December’s Rule 5 Draft but was then claimed by the Rangers when the Orioles attempted to pass him through waivers in early April.

He made his major-league debut with four appearances out of the Texas bullpen this season, allowing six earned runs on 11 hits with four walks and three strikeouts across exactly nine innings of work.

Rangers Salvage Split in Season-Opening Series

Shin-Soo Choo (center) is greeted by Carlos Corporan and Rougned Odor after his three-run home run Thursday afternoon in Oakland.

Having been shut out in two of the first three games of the season by a composite margin of 18-0, Texas bounced back to earn a split of its four-game series against Oakland with a convincing 10-1 victory Thursday at O.co Coliseum.

Toying with a revamped lineup in which Shin-Soo Choo batted second and Elvis Andrus hit seventh, the Rangers jumped to a quick lead against A’s starter Kendall Graveman and were backed by a solid outing from Nick Martinez.

Each of the first five Texas hitters reached safely versus Graveman (beginning with a leadoff walk drawn by Leonys Martin), and three runs came around to score before Martinez even took the mound.

Home runs with men on base from Mitch Moreland and Choo helped the Rangers pad their lead in the middle innings, and Adrian Beltre and Rougned Odor led off with solo shots in the seventh and eighth, respectively.

Meanwhile, Martinez recorded five strikeouts while scattering four hits across seven innings pitched, and Oakland hitters went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position in the game.

Offseason acquisition Yovani Gallardo was roughed up in his Rangers debut Monday – an 8-0 loss to the A’s – falling behind early when Sam Fuld tripled and Ben Zobrist hit a two-run homer in the first inning.

Athletics starter Sonny Gray, on the other hand, was dominant in his eight frames of work, keeping Texas off the board completely and not allowing a base hit until Ryan Rua connected for a single to lead off the top of the eighth.

On Tuesday, the Rangers – led by elder statesmen Prince Fielder and Colby Lewis – recorded their first win under manager Jeff Banister with a 3-1 victory over Oakland. Lewis allowed just one run on three hits across six quality innings and Fielder went 2-for-3 while driving in his first two runs of the season.

In a battle of southpaws Wednesday night, A’s starter Scott Kazmir completely stymied the Texas offense en route to a 10-0 shutout while the Rangers’ Ross Detwiler was shelled for eight runs on 10 hits in less than five innings pitched.

Veteran Rodriguez Signs Minor-League Deal

Left-handed pitcher Wandy Rodriguez agreed to a minor-league contract with Texas on Monday and was assigned to Triple-A Round Rock.

Rodriguez, 36, had spent the spring with Atlanta but was released by the Braves after they acquired Trevor Cahill from Arizona last week.

In a series of roster moves coinciding with the end of spring training, the Rangers selected the contracts of right-handers Anthony Bass and Keone Kela from Round Rock and Frisco, respectively, while optioning lefty Alex Claudio and righty Jon Edwards to Triple-A.

Additionally, starter Yu Darvish was placed on the 60-day disabled list on Sunday, and four other pitchers — Lisalverto Bonilla, Kyuji Fujikawa, Matt Harrison and Tanner Scheppers — were placed on the 15-day DL.

Gallo Undergoes Heel Surgery

Infield prospect Joey Gallo had surgery performed last Friday to remove a bone from his left heel and is expected to be sidelined for roughly three weeks.

Gallo, 21, led the minor leagues last season with a total of 42 home runs between High-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco. He will re-join the RoughRiders when he returns to action later this month.

Rangers Notes: Offense Shows Signs of Life on Road Trip

Jake Smolinski connected for his first career home run last Tuesday in Oakland, a two-run shot off Athletics starter Scott Kazmir.

The Rangers averaged more than six runs per game on their recent California road trip through Oakland and Anaheim, winning five of six contests on the A.L. West swing (and eight of their last nine overall) to relinquish the worst record in baseball to the Diamondbacks.

Texas currently sits at 62-93, one-half game better than Arizona, and the team can avoid a 100-loss season with a win in any of its final seven games this week.

On the heels of a three-game sweep over Atlanta, the last-place Rangers took Tuesday’s opener at O.co Coliseum by a 6-3 final. Nick Tepesch delivered six quality frames while Texas scored three runs in back-to-back innings against Oakland lefty Scott Kazmir.

Wednesday featured one of the most satisfying victories of the year when the Rangers – trailing 1-0 heading into the top of the ninth – rallied for six runs off relievers Sean Doolittle and Jesse Chavez.

Rougned Odor drove in the tying run with an opposite field double into left-center, and J.P. Arencibia followed one batter later with a three-run homer that proved to be the difference in a 6-1 come-from-behind win.

Texas completed its second consecutive series sweep with a 7-2 victory Thursday afternoon, jumping on starter Sonny Gray for four runs in the first and getting solid performances from Nick Martinez and the bullpen.

The Rangers’ lineup continued to produce early offense on Friday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, backing Lisalverto Bonilla with a combined seven runs in the first two innings and cruising to a 12-3 blowout over Los Angeles.

The unlikely season-long winning streak was halted after seven games, however, as Texas right-hander Colby Lewis surrendered homers to Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and David Freese in an 8-5 loss on Saturday.

Each team scored a single run in the sixth inning of Sunday afternoon’s rubber match, and Ryan Rua hit his first career home run off Huston Street in the top of the ninth before Neftali Feliz struck out the side to give Texas a 2-1 victory.

Washington Admits to Infidelity

Former manager Ron Washington addressed the media last Thursday for the first time since resigning nearly two weeks earlier, admitting that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Gerry, after 42 years of marriage.

“I was not true to my wife … I broke her trust,” he said in a prepared statement. “I’m here today to own that mistake and apologize to her, and to those I disappointed, and those who have trusted in me, and I let them down.”

Washington unexpectedly stepped down on Sept. 5 from the managerial post he had held since 2007, citing personal reasons but providing no further details at the time. He expressed gratitude Thursday toward the organization that gave him a chance as an untested big-league skipper.

“I was born to be a baseball player. I’m a baseball lifer,” Washington said. “The Rangers gave me a home, and I’m thankful for that. And I’m also thankful for the experience to have the opportunity to manage here in Texas.”

Profar Shut Down with Shoulder Issues

Middle infielder Jurickson Profar has been sidelined since late last winter because of a tear in his right shoulder, and now he won’t play in the Arizona Fall League as expected due to lingering soreness.

The 21-year-old switch-hitter was in place to take over for Ian Kinsler at second base this season, but that job eventually went to Rougned Odor following Profar’s injury.

The immediate future could now be in doubt for Profar, as Odor has exceeded expectations this year and proven himself as a capable everyday second baseman.

Rangers Notes: Losses in Oakland Push Texas Further Back

Elvis Andrus is unable to make the tag on the Athletics’ Eric Sogard as he steals second base Tuesday, part of a 10-6 loss to Oakland.

In the middle of an important three-city road trip against American League West opponents, the Rangers currently find themselves a season-worst nine games behind division-leading Oakland after the A’s took two out of three contests between the clubs this week at O.co Coliseum.

Texas used a six-run fourth inning Monday and held off a late rally Oakland to win the series opener by a 14-8 final. Donnie Murphy slugged two home runs while he, Adrian Beltre and Robinson Chirinos all finished with three RBIs apiece.

Yu Darvish’s apparent inability to beat the Athletics continued Tuesday as he allowed seven runs (four earned) en route to a 10-6 defeat. For his career, Darvish now has an earned run average of 4.94 versus Oakland compared to a 2.88 ERA against all other teams.

Rangers starter Nick Tepesch was pounded for nine base hits in just five innings on Wednesday, allowing RBI doubles to John Jaso and Brandon Moss as the Athletics won, 4-2, behind a solid performance from Sonny Gray.

Shin-Soo Choo delivered a two-run double off Gray that tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth, but the tie was short-lived as Oakland added two more runs against Tepesch in the bottom of the frame.

Prior to their series in Northern California, the Rangers had taken two out of three from the Mariners at Safeco Field, beginning with an improbable 1-0 victory over Seattle ace Felix Hernandez last Friday.

Hernandez sailed through much of the game before giving up a one-out single to Elvis Andrus in the ninth. Andrus proceeded to steal both second and third base off Mariners catcher Mike Zunino, and he would score the eventual game-winner on an infield groundout by Adrian Beltre.

Joe Saunders turned in a quality start for Texas on Saturday, yielding just two runs across six innings of work while the Rangers backed him with a three-run rally in the top of the sixth.

Although Saunders was denied the chance at a victory when Seattle tied the game off Neal Cotts in the seventh, Leonys Martin later delivered an RBI single to score Luis Sardinas with the deciding run in a 4-3 Texas win.

The Rangers were going for the sweep Sunday afternoon, but Kyle Seager carried the Mariners with a 4-for-4 performance that included two doubles and three runs batted in, part of a 5-1 Seattle victory in the series finale.

Pena Signed to Minor-League Deal

Former first-round pick Carlos Pena agreed to a minor-league contract on Tuesday with the Rangers, the same team that had made him the 10th overall selection in the 1998 amateur draft.

Pena was assigned to Triple-A Round Rock, where he has gone 3-for-9 (.333) with two walks and a run scored in three games for the Express.

Across a big-league career that has spanned parts of 13 seasons with eight different clubs, Pena has compiled a lifetime batting average of .233 with 285 home runs and 816 runs batted in.

He was in spring training with the Los Angeles Angels after signing a minor-league deal in late January, but a poor Cactus League performance led to his release on Mar. 23.

Ross Sent Down, Poreda Recalled

The Rangers optioned left-hander Robbie Ross to Triple-A on Tuesday and recalled southpaw Aaron Poreda from Round Rock to fill the vacancy on the active roster and in the bullpen.

The 24-year-old Ross was stretched out as a starter this spring and spent the first few weeks of the season in the Texas rotation, but a 1-4 record over his first nine starts earned him a demotion to the bullpen in mid-May.

Returning to his customary relief role did not seem to help Ross, as he had allowed multiple runs in five of his last eight appearances to watch his earned run average jump to 5.61 for the season.

Poreda, meanwhile, joins the Rangers’ 25-man roster for the third different time this year, having posted a record of 2-0 with a 3.29 ERA across 16 previous relief outings for Texas.