The Texas Rangers bullpen just can’t catch a break. Right-hander Jakob Junis landed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right hip impingement, the team announced before their game against the Detroit Tigers. This comes right after the Rangers wrapped up a brutal stretch of 15 games in 15 days.
Junis has been one of the few reliable arms in a bullpen that’s been held together with duct tape all year. He posted a 2.80 ERA across 31 appearances with 11 holds and five saves in six chances. The Rangers say this is a minimum-length IL stint, so they expect him back in two weeks. But with the way things have gone, nobody’s banking on anything.
The roster move opens the door for veteran Chris Martin to return after his own stint on the IL with a right shoulder impingement. Martin didn’t exactly light it up before the injury — a 7.84 ERA and a .391 batting average against in 12 games. But the front office liked what they saw during his rehab assignment at Double-A Frisco, and they’re hoping he can slide back into a high-leverage role. It’s a gamble, but when your bullpen is this thin, you take what you can get.
Beeks done for the year
The worst news of the day came for left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks. President of baseball operations Chris Young confirmed that Beeks has a flexor tendon injury in his left arm and will undergo season-ending surgery. They haven’t decided on the specific procedure yet.
Beeks had been on the IL since June 11 with lower back spasms and was actually close to returning when he started feeling elbow soreness. That led to the imaging that revealed the flexor tendon issue. He signed with Texas in March and put up a 3.81 ERA in 29 appearances, striking out 28 batters over 28.1 innings. Not elite numbers, but solid enough that losing him for the season stings.
So here’s where the Rangers stand: their bullpen is running on fumes. Junis is out for at least two weeks. Beeks is gone for the year. They’re hoping Martin can rediscover his form, but that’s a big ask for a guy who’s been getting lit up. And there’s no cavalry coming from the farm system — the Rangers have already cycled through most of their depth options in Triple-A.
The front office might need to get creative before the trade deadline. Or they’ll just keep rolling with what they’ve got and hope somebody catches fire. Either way, it’s going to be a long summer for Texas relievers.
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