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The Texas Rangers have purchased the contracts of first baseman Greg Bird and righthanded relief pitcher Jimmy Herget and added them to the active roster, the team announced today. The two replace Ronald Guzman and Jose Leclerc, who were optioned and put on the 45 day injured list, respectively, yesterday. To clear a spot on the 40 man roster, the Rangers have designated Ariel Jurado for assignment.
Guzman made the team out of summer camp primarily as a defensive replacement for Todd Frazier at first base, but he’s been reported to be in a bad place as far as his swing goes, and with the offense having been lacking, the Rangers will now look at Greg Bird as a potential bench option. Bird was signed to a minor league contract this offseason and was expected to battle Guzman for the first base job, but neither had good camps, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa ended up in the starting lineup instead, with Frazier moving from third base to first base.
I don’t expect Bird to get much playing time, but who knows...
Herget is a righthanded reliever who was claimed on waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in December, and the outrighted in January. He was earning some positive reviews in summer camp, and will now be part of the bullpen mix. He also has two options remaining so there is flexibility if the Rangers need to drop him from the active.
Leclerc going to the 45 day injured list opened up one 40 man roster spot yesterday. The other necessary spot today was opened by designating righthanded reliever Ariel Jurado for assignment. Jurado, 24, has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Rangers, putting up a 5.85 ERA in 177 IP. He doesn’t have the stuff to be a quality reliever and doesn’t have the repertoire to be a starter, so he’s been stuck in swing man land, and has largely gone unremarked upon both in spring training and in summer camp.
Given that the Miami Marlins have 17 COVID-19 positive players are going to be trying to play next week, expect Jurado to end up in teal in the next few days.