Hyeon-jong Yang up, Leody Taveras down

The Texas Rangers have purchased the contract of Hyeon-jong Yang, the team announced today. To make room for him on the active roster, the team has optioned Leody Taveras to the Alternative Training Site. To make room for him on the 40 man roster, the Rangers have transferred Ronald Guzman to the 60 day injured list.

Yang, 33, is a lefthanded pitcher who signed with the Rangers on a minor league deal this past offseason after spending his entire professional career with the Kia Tigers of the Korean Baseball Organization. Yang reportedly throws around 89-90 mph and is a command guy more than a stuff guy. With Jordan Lyles, who is theoretically still tandeming right now, getting the start today, Yang could be debuting today as the second part of the tandem.

To make room for Yang, Leody Taveras has been sent down. Leody had a solid major league debut last year, and after a slow start to spring training finished things out well in Surprise and won the starting center field job. Leody has struggled mightily at the plate so far, though, and the expectation has been that he would be sent down once minor league teams began play next week. With Texas needing an extra arm immediately, though, Taveras has been sent to the ATS to make room for Yang.

Guzman will miss the rest of the season due to knee surgery, so moving him from the day 10 to the 60 day injured list is a procedural move to free up a 40 man roster spot.