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The Texas Rangers announced yesterday that righthanded pitcher Tyler Wagner had cleared waivers and been outrighted to AAA Round Rock.
Wagner, 26, was claimed off of waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in November, 2016, and surprisingly, never hit the waiver wire again this past offseason. The former fourth round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers was optioned to AAA Round Rock, but was apparently put on waivers earlier this week. Having cleared waivers, he is off the 40 man roster, and stays in the Rangers organization.
Wagner is rotation depth for the Rangers, so it may be that the acquisition of Clayton Blackburn a few days ago led the Rangers to decide to waive Wagner, feeling that they didn’t have to have both Wagner and Blackburn on the 40 man roster as rotation depth, particularly with Dillon Gee also claiming a 40 man spot. The Rangers’ 40 man roster now stands at 38.
In addition, infielder Josh Wilson has been signed to a minor league contract and assigned to Round Rock. Wilson was with the Rangers in 2014. His signing is apparently a reaction to Will Middlebrooks going on the disabled list with a broken hand -- he gives the Rangers another infielder at AAA.