Willie Calhoun, who is dealing with a groin strain, “is trending more and more toward opening the season on the IL,” per Evan Grant on Twitter, who says the Rangers want to make sure he’s healthy before activating him.
While this development would no doubt be vexing for Calhoun, who has also missed time the last couple of seasons with hamstring and quad strains, it would also allow the Rangers to potentially delay making a difficult roster decision. Ronald Guzman, who is out of options, had an impressive stint in winter ball and has looked good in camp. He theoretically has been vying with the newly acquired Nate Lowe — who has not had an impressive spring training — and Lowe can be optioned, meaning the Rangers might be in a position of having to make a decision based on roster rules as much as anything else.
If Calhoun were to start the season on the injured list, however, Lowe could DH while Calhoun is unavailable, with Guzman playing first base. While Calhoun would likely be activated early in April, the team could delay having to make a hard call, and it may be that they would feel Guzman would be more likely to clear waivers — which would allow him to be outrighted — after rosters have been set and the season has started, as compared to at the end of spring training.