Hanser Alberto recalled, Phil Klein optioned to AAA

The Texas Rangers have called up infielder Hanser Alberto from AAA Round Rock.  To make room for him on the 25 man roster, the Rangers have optioned righthanded pitcher Phil Klein.

Alberto, 22, is a shortstop who was added to the 40 man roster for the first time this past offseason, and who has never been in the major leagues before.  He has a .303/.321/.421 slash line in 157 plate appearances for Round Rock this season, and will presumably provide the Rangers with some bench depth the next few days, although with the Rangers needing to add a starting pitcher to the 25 man roster on Saturday, his stay could end up being a short one.

I'm really kind of baffled about this move.  The Rangers sent down Jake Smolinski yesterday and called up Jon Edwards.  It seems like the bench would be better served with Smolinski's righthanded outfield bat, rather than Alberto being a second backup infielder, and it would have made more sense to send Klein down yesterday to bring up Edwards.  Obviously, the Rangers didn't decide until today to send down Klein, and they can't recall Smolinski for at least ten days now that he's been optioned.  But it is a strange sequence of transactions.