Otto, Duggar, Sborz active, Bush to i.l., Evans DFA’d

Texas Rangers transactions: Glenn Otto was activated from the COVID injured list, Steve Duggar was added to the active roster, and Josh Sborz was recalled from AAA Round Rock, the Rangers announced yesterday. To make room for Otto on the 40 man roster, the Rangers designated Demarcus Evans for assignment. To make room for Sborz on the active roster, the Rangers placed Matt Bush on the 15 day injured list with a sore right forearm.

The moves to activate Otto and Duggar were no surprise, and the Rangers cleared room on the active roster for them yesterday by sending Taylor Hearn and Ezequiel Duran to AAA Round Rock.

Matt Bush heading to the injured list is a surprise. He was originally slated to start yesterday’s bullpen game, but was a late scratch with what was at the time said to be a decision made because he had pitched the night before. That didn’t make a ton of sense, given that Bush had already pitched Friday night when he was announced as the starter for Saturday. Now it appears that the decision was injury-related.

Bush has a history of elbow issues, including multiple Tommy John surgeries as well as flexor tendon surgery, and the right forearm soreness has to be a huge concern at this point, as that is often the original diagnosis when there is a structural elbow issue. We will have to wait and see on this, but Bush may be out for a while.

Josh Sborz joins the Rangers bullpen today, but it may not be for long, as Jonathan Hernandez would seem likely to be activated at some point this coming week. Sborz seems to have the “shuttle back and forth between AAA and the majors when the bullpen needs a fill in arm” role, and would seem likely to be optioned once Hernandez is ready, although the Rangers will also need to clear a 40 man roster spot for Hernandez.

The 40 man spot for Otto was cleared by designating Demarcus Evans for assignment, a move that I don’t think comes as a surprise to anyone. Evans had a breakout 2019 season and spent time in the majors in both 2020 and 2021. A big righthanded reliever with a high spin fastball, Evans’ velocity disappeared over the last couple of years. He spent a month or so at extended spring training this year working on things before going back to Round Rock, where he has struck out 17 batters and walked 14 in 12 innings this year.

UPDATE — Matt Bush says, don’t panic, its no big deal: