Tanner Scheppers has injured knee, out until second half

Texas Rangers pitcher Tanner Scheppers is injured, with torn cartilage in his knee that will keep him out until the second half of the season, per the beat guys on Twitter.

Bad news for Scheppers, who was a stalwart in the pen in 2013, but who has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness the past two seasons.  The hope was that Scheppers would be poised for a bounce-back campaign in 2016, but it appears he won't even be pitching in game action until after the All Star Break.

Scheppers was likely to start the 2016 campaign in AAA, as the Rangers are pretty well set in the major league bullpen right now, but he was expected to provide the Rangers with depth, and potentially a true bullpen weapon if he could regain his old form.  Now, Scheppers would appear likely to start the season on the 60 day disabled list, and his chances of contributing at all this year are significantly diminished.