Ibanez active, Pozo down, King has TOS surgery

The Texas Rangers have activated infielder Andy Ibanez from the injured list, the team announced today. To make room for Ibanez on the active roster, the Rangers have optioned DH Yohel Pozo to AAA Round Rock.

Sending Pozo down now that Ibanez is back makes sense, given that Willie Calhoun is going to get the bulk of the DH playing time, and Pozo was basically a stop gap guy the team was taking a look at rather than someone who was in the mix beyond 2021. While Pozo seems to have generated some enthusiasm from some fans, he’s a DH who slashed .284/.312/.378, and since his first two games, when he went 4 for 8 with a homer, he has slashed .258/.290/.318. Pozo is almost certainly dropped from the 40 man roster at some point this winter, and thus there wasn’t much reason to keep him around, particularly given there weren’t going to be DH at bats for him.

Ibanez, meanwhile, is back after a hamstring injury that initially looked like it might cost him the rest of the season. He’s another guy who is on the 40 man bubble, and while his .260/.304/.415 slash line wasn’t much better than what Pozo did, Ibanez does have the ability to play a few positions, which gives him a little more value.

Meanwhile, John King, who was put on the injured list before the All Star Break with what was expected to be a ten day stay, and who has not pitched since, has undergone Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery, the team announced today. The lefthander was a solid member of the bullpen in the first half, putting up a 3.52 ERA and 3.32 FIP in 46 innings over 27 games, and his absence in the second half has been unfortunate.