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The Return of Tanner Scheppers

By Adam J. Morris
ANAHEIM CA - JULY 11: U.S. Futures All-Star Tanner Scheppers #26 of the Texas Rangers throws a pitch during the 2010 XM All-Star Futures Game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 11 2010 in Anaheim California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM CA - JULY 11: U.S. Futures All-Star Tanner Scheppers #26 of the Texas Rangers throws a pitch during the 2010 XM All-Star Futures Game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 11 2010 in Anaheim California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Per Richard Durrett and Jeff Wilson on Twitter, Tanner Scheppers has been activated from the disabled list and will be pitching in relief tonight for Frisco.

This is something to keep an eye on...Scheppers was going to be used as a starter in the minors this year, but given his injuries, the fact that we are now in mid-June, and the state of the Ranger bullpen, I would expect that the Rangers are going to have him pitch out of the pen in the minors for the foreseeable future.

When the Rangers drafted Scheppers in the 2009 draft, the belief was that he could move quickly as a reliever, with two 70 pitches (his fastball and his curve).  I, for one, expected him to be in the majors a year ago.

With all the problems the Rangers are having in the bullpen -- particularly the state of their righthanded relief options -- I think Scheppers will get a chance to show he's healthy in the minors for the next few weeks.  If he is healthy, and he pitches like everyone thinks he can pitch when he's healthy, I think he'll be up and pitching in the majors by August.