Leody Taveras starts rehab assignment tonight

Texas Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras has been on the injured list due to an oblique strain since the start of the season. He should, though, be starting rehab assignment in the very near future, putting him on pace to return sometime next week.

Based on what the beats are saying, Taveras seems likely to head out on a rehab assignment potentially as soon as today, and certainly in the next few days. If he went out today he might be ready to be activated when the Rangers return home on Monday to start a series against the Kansas City Royals.

In Leody’s absence, Adolis Garcia has been manning center, with Robbie Grossman in right field and Josh Smith and Ezequiel Duran sharing time in left. Bubba Thompson and Travis Jankowski are backup outfielders on the bench, and once Leody returns, the Rangers will presumably option Bubba to AAA to get regular playing time, though it is possible that Jankowski could end up being waived instead.

Manager Bruce Bochy has indicated the plan is for Grossman to play every day. If so, and if Leody is the regular center fielder, that presents a challenge as far as getting playing time for Duran, Smith, Brad Miller and whichever of Thompson and Jankowski stays up. The DH spot doesn’t have an everyday player occupying it, per se, but Mitch Garver has been getting some starts there when he is not catching, which limits how much playing time is available to the others at the DH spot.

UPDATE — Leody Taveras is starting his rehab assignment with Frisco tonight, it has just been announced.