ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Kyle Higashioka will not throw or catch when he returns from the injured list and would be used only as a pinch-hitter off the bench.
Schumaker spoke with Rangers Sports Network before Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field.
Higashioka began an injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Friday. He batted second as the designated hitter against Oklahoma City at Dell Diamond and went 1-for-5 with a single and 3 strikeouts.
Schumaker said the rehab assignment is about getting Higashioka at-bats and making him an option as a right-handed bat.
“I think just getting at-bats down there and making himself an option in case we needed a right-handed bat. We’ve missed him for, gosh, the second half of the season,” Schumaker said. “He’s not going to be throwing. He’s not going to be catching. It would just be off the bench, pinch-hitting type of duties.”
Kyle Higashioka’s Injury Timeline With The Texas Rangers
Higashioka has been on the 10-day injured list since July 21 with a right flexor strain. Texas placed him there an hour before first pitch against the Chicago White Sox that night. The strain is near the right elbow on which he had Tommy John surgery in 2013 while in the New York Yankees’ system.
On Aug. 11, Schumaker said Higashioka had started a throwing program. On Wednesday at Globe Life Field, Higashioka was one of three Texas hitters who faced Robert Garcia in a live batting practice session, along with Nicky Lopez and Josh Jung.
Before the injury, Higashioka hit .218 with 7 home runs and 18 RBIs in 58 games. He turned 36 in April.
The July 21 move put both of the club’s Opening Day catchers on the injured list at the same time. Danny Jansen had been out since June 6 with a right forearm strain and returned from the 60-day injured list on Aug. 25.
The Rangers’ Catching Picture With 20 Games Left
Texas is carrying Jansen, Elias Díaz, and Logan O’Hoppe on its 28-man September roster. Díaz signed a one-year major league contract on June 6 and has started most games behind the plate since. He drove in 5 runs in Friday’s 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay, including the first Rangers grand slam of the season.
In 65 games with Texas, Díaz is hitting .234 with 5 home runs and 24 RBIs. O’Hoppe was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels on July 29.
Jung, who has been on the 10-day injured list since July 25 with a left calf strain, has continued jogging this week and has not started a rehab assignment.
The Rangers are 70-72 and trail Houston by 3 games in the American League West. They are 2 games behind Cleveland for the third wild card. Jacob deGrom (10-9, 4.00 ERA) starts Saturday against Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen (14-5, 2.95). First pitch is 6:05 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network.
