RANGERS REINSTATE LHP MATT HARRISON FROM DISABLED LIST, RECALL RHP ANTHONY RANAUDO AND OPTION RHP CHI CHI GONZALEZ TO ROUND ROCK
RHP Neftali Feliz was designated for assignment following Friday night’s game
Arlington, Texas – The Texas Rangers announced this afternoon the following roster moves:
- Reinstated left-handed pitcher Matt Harrison from the 60-day disabled list
- Recalled right-handed pitcher Anthony Ranuado (#46) from Triple-A Round Rock
- Optioned right-handed pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez to Triple-A Round Rock
- Following last night’s game, designated right-handed pitcher Neftali Feliz for assignment
Harrison, 29, is scheduled to start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday in Arlington. He has just 6 games/starts with Texas since the beginning of 2013 due to four different surgeries, including three operations on his back. He will be seeking his first major league action since a start on May 13, 2014 at Houston. After leaving that most recent major league outing with back stiffness, Harrison was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis, a condition in which a vertebra slips out of position, as well as significant nerve irritation. He had spinal fusion surgery performed by Dr. Drew Dossett on June 3, 2014, a procedure that fused the L5 and S1 disks.
Harrison spent the early part of the season in Arizona as he continued to increase his workload, and began an injury rehabilitation assignment on June 3. He went 1-3 with a 6.23 ERA (24 ER/34.2 IP) in 6 games/starts on rehab with Round Rock (AAA) and Frisco (AA), as opponents batted .316 (43-136) with 15 walks and 21 strikeouts. His last outing came with Round Rock on Wednesday at Iowa, taking a no decision: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R-ER, 4 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR, 103 pitches/62 strikes. Harrison was the 2012 Rangers Pitcher of the Year and the team’s 2013 Opening Day starter. He has a 49-33 record and 4.15 ERA in 132 games/100 starts in the majors, all with Texas.
Ranaudo will be in his 3rd stint with the Rangers this season, the others being single-day stays for spot starts on April 15 vs. Los Angeles-AL and June 18 at Los Angeles-NL. He allowed 6 runs in 8.1 innings over those 2 starts, but took a no decision in his most recent outing at Dodger Stadium despite 6.2 scoreless innings of work. Each of Ranaudo’s first 9 major league outings in 2014-15 have been starts, and he has one professional outing in relief: August 30, 2013 vs. Syracuse for Triple-A Pawtucket in a rehab start for Clay Buchholz. He has spent the balance of the season at Round Rock, going 7-3 with a 3.39 ERA (27 ER/71.2 IP) in 13 games/starts. Pacific Coast League opponents have batted .277 (78-282) with 29 walks and 57 strikeouts. His last start was Monday at Omaha, taking the loss: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R-ER, 4 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR, 104 pitches/63 strikes.
Gonzalez has gone 2-4 with a 3.74 ERA (18 ER/43.1 IP) over 7 games/starts for Texas this season in his first major league action since having his contract purchased on May 30. He did not allow a run in his first 14.2 innings in the majors, the longest career-opening streak ever by a Texas starter.
Feliz was designated for assignment by Texas following his appearance last night, beginning a window in which the Rangers have 10 days to trade, release, or outright Feliz to the minor leagues. Feliz has gone 1-2 with 6 saves and a 4.58 ERA in 18 relief appearances this season, and had been activated from a disabled list stint on Thursday.
With these four transactions, the Rangers are still at the 40-player limit on the club’s major league roster.
– RANGERS –
