Keuchel DFA’d, King recalled

The Texas Rangers have designated Dallas Keuchel for assignment, the team announced today. To take his place on the active roster, the Rangers have recalled pitcher John King.

Dallas Keuchel was not good for the Chicago White Sox in 2021. He was terrible for them in 2022, resulting in him being released. The Arizona Diamondbacks, desperate for starting pitching help, signed him, and he was terrible for them, resulting in him being released. The Rangers then signed Keuchel to a minor league deal, he put up good numbers in AAA, and so they called him up because they were desperate for starting pitching help. Keuchel allowed 14 runs in 10 innings over two starts, and looked pretty terrible, and has now been cut loose.

This is pretty predictable. It is also indicative of the disappointing state of the Rangers’ starting pitching options in the upper minors — something that they Rangers were hoping would be a strength, or at least an area of growth, this year.

With Keuchel out, I would expect Cole Ragans to start against the Astros on September 7.

As for King, he is likely up here to give the Rangers an extra arm in the bullpen until Ragans is activated, though he could stick around and someone like, I don’t know, Kohei Arihara could be dropped instead.

This leaves the Rangers’ 40 man roster at 39, which means there’s an opening on the 40 man roster if the Rangers want to bring up Josh Jung tomorrow.