Yovani Gallardo up, Doug Fister out until August

Texas Rangers transactions: Yovani Gallardo has, as expected, been added to the 25 man and 40 man rosters today in advance of his start against the Colorado Rockies.

To make room for Gallardo on the active roster, the Rangers have optioned lefthanded pitcher Brandon Mann to AAA Round Rock. This is a bit of a surprise, as it means that the Rangers are sticking with a four man bench, at least for the time being, after having gone with a 3 man bench most of this season. It seemed likely that Ryan Rua, called up yesterday when Carlos Perez went to the disabled list, would get sent down.

More troubling, however, is that the Rangers moved pitcher Doug Fister to the 60 day disabled list to make room for Gallardo on the roster. Fister has been on the disabled list with a knee injury, but there had been no indication that it was supposed to keep him out a particularly lengthy period of time. Fister is now ineligible to return to the majors until early August — 61 days after he was first placed on the disabled list. Fister had been a solid, if unspectacular, rotation piece, and his extended absence exacerbates the Rangers’ ongoing rotation issues.