RANGERS PURCHASE CONTRACT OF C/1B CHRIS GIMENEZ AND OPTION RHP JON EDWARDS
New acquisitions LHP Jake Diekman and C Bobby Wilson will be active for tonight’s series opener with Giants
Arlington, Texas – The Texas Rangers announced the following roster moves prior to tonight’s game with the San Francisco Giants:
- Left-handed pitcher Jake Diekman (#41) and catcher Bobby Wilson (#8) activated on the 25-man roster
- Catcher/first baseman Chris Gimenez (#38) contract purchased from Triple-A Round Rock
- Right-handed pitcher Jon Edwards optioned to Triple-A Round Rock
Two spots on the club’s active roster were created earlier today with the trades of Matt Harrison and Tomas Telis.
Diekman (pronounced DEEK-muhn), 28, was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies that was announced this morning. He has gone 2-1 with a 5.15 ERA (21 ER/36.2 IP) in 41 appearances for the Phillies this season, posting 49 strikeouts against 24 walks. The lefty has a career 3.84 ERA over 191 relief outings in his major league career, all with Philadelphia from 2012-15. Diekman has averaged 11.7 strikeouts per 9 innings and just 0.5 home runs per 9 innings in his big league career. He has held left-handed batters to a .219 (56-256) average in his career, allowing just 2 home runs to lefties.
Wilson, 32, was received on a waiver claim from the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon. He has batted .145 (8-55) with 4 RBI in 25 games/16 starts at catcher with Tampa Bay this season. He has thrown out 5 of 20 runners attempting to steal. The right-handed batter opened the season with the Rays, was designated for assignment on June 12, and outrighted to Triple-A Durham on June 14 (.184 in 17 games). He rejoined Tampa Bay on July 29 and had appeared in one game since his return. Wilson has a career major league average of .201 with 8 homers and 41 RBI in 218 major league games with the Angels (2008-12), Diamondbacks (2014), and Rays (2015).
Gimenez (pronounced JIM-ehn-ehz), 32, will be in his first stint with the Rangers this season after spending the entire year at Triple-A Round Rock. He has a .243 (60-247) average with 6 home runs and 33 RBI in 69 games with the Express this season, seeing action at catcher, first base, third base, and right field. He has played in the majors in each of the last 6 seasons, spending two-and-a-half months with the Rangers in 2014 before a late season stint with the Cleveland Indians.
Edwards did not appear for Texas after being recalled on Wednesday for his third stint with the Rangers (also April 11, May 27-June 22). He has no record and a 6.00 ERA (4 ER/6.0 IP) over 11 relief appearances for the Rangers this season, spanning 3 stints. He has spent the rest of the year at Round Rock, where he owns a 1.80 ERA (5 ER/25.0 IP) in 27 relief outings, converting a Pacific Coast League-leading 19 of 20 save opportunities.
After all of today’s transactions, the Rangers now have 39 players on the club’s 40-man roster.
– RANGERS –
