ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers activated right-hander Peyton Gray from the 15-day injured list Tuesday. In the same set of moves, left-hander Adam Macko was optioned to the Arizona Complex League Rangers. Texas hosts the New York Mets at Globe Life Field on Tuesday night in the first of three games.
With the two moves, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on their major league roster, and six more players are on the 60-day injured list, the club announced.
Texas enters Tuesday at 78-78 and one game ahead of the Houston Astros (77-79) in the American League West, with six games left in the regular season. MacKenzie Gore makes his AL-leading 33rd start against New York at 7:05 p.m. CT on Rangers Sports Network. Houston opens a two-game series at Seattle on Tuesday night.
Peyton Gray Returns From Right Elbow Inflammation
Gray went on the injured list Aug. 31 with right elbow inflammation. The move was backdated to Aug. 30, the day after his last outing. He pitched that night at Milwaukee and allowed 2 runs, 1 earned, on 3 hits in 1 inning with 1 strikeout.
Before the injury, Gray went 6-0 with a 3.93 ERA over 48 appearances and 55 innings, with 58 strikeouts and 16 walks. The 31-year-old made his major league debut April 23 after signing a minor league contract with Texas on Jan. 21, 2025.
On Saturday, before the Rangers played the Toronto Blue Jays, Gray threw a 20-pitch live bullpen session. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said that day that the session went well, though he did not give a date for Gray’s activation. His longer answer came on The Skip Schumaker Show, the pregame segment Rangers Sports Network posts before games.
“I think he’s really close. He threw 20 pitches,” Schumaker said. “His velo was exactly where it was before he got hurt. Change-up, secondary pitches were really good. So, yeah, I think he’s very close.”
Adam Macko Optioned After Second Stint With Texas
Tuesday’s option ended a second stint in the Texas bullpen for Macko that began Saturday, when the Rangers recalled him from Triple-A Round Rock and placed right-hander Michel Otañez on the 15-day injured list with a viral illness. Texas had optioned Macko to Round Rock on Sept. 12.
Pitchers optioned to the minors must stay down for at least 15 days unless they are recalled to replace a player placed on the injured list, which is how Macko returned seven days later. The regular season ends Sunday, Sept. 27.
In Sunday’s 7-2 loss to Toronto, Macko entered in the seventh inning after Chase Silseth gave up a two-out, two-run double, and Andrés Giménez singled off him to drive in the Blue Jays’ seventh run. The first of Macko’s two Rangers stints began Aug. 28 in Milwaukee. He gave up 6 earned runs over 6 2/3 innings before Texas sent him down.
Texas acquired Macko, 25, from Toronto on Aug. 3 for infielder Josh Smith and minor league right-hander Josh Stephan. With the Blue Jays, he went 2-0 with a 4.91 ERA over 22 games, one of them a start. Going into Sunday’s game against his former team, Macko had a 5.65 ERA in 28 2/3 major league innings between Toronto and Texas.
