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Texas Rangers transactions: Pedro Payano, the Rangers starting pitcher for tonight’s game against the Minnesota Twins, has been optioned to AAA Nashville, the team announced today. No corresponding move has been announced yet.
The fact that Payano was sent down kind of symbolizes how tonight’s game went. Payano gave up 8 runs (5 earned) in his second straight bad outing, and with the Rangers using 4 relievers, including Taylor Guerrieri for 42 pitches, Texas is moving Payano out to open up a spot for, presumably, an extra arm for the pen.
The original plan had been for Payano to pitch one of the games in the doubleheader slated for August 20, with Joe Palumbo starting the other, and Payano could be brought up as the 26th man for the doubleheader without having to stay down the requisite 10 days after being optioned. Palumbo, however, seems likely to be taking over this spot in the rotation going forward.