The Texas Rangers have purchased the contract of outfielder Jarred Kelenic from AAA Round Rock, the team announced today. To make room for Kelenic on the active and 40 man roster, the Rangers have designated infielder Jonah Bride for assignment. In addition, the Rangers announced that catcher Danny Jansen is beginning a rehab assignment with Round Rock today.
Well, this is weird. Bride was added to the active roster on Sunday, with lefthanded hitting outfielder Alejandro Osuna being sent down to AAA
Round Rock. Now, after two games, both of which Bride started, going 1 for 5 with a walk and two Ks in all, Bride is dropped so the Rangers could add a lefthanded hitting outfielder to the active roster.
Did they just want Bride for the two games? Was the plan all along to have him up against the two lefty starters, then put him on waivers? Did he do something to upset somebody? Did he cropdust Skip Schumaker? Was he playing the Thong Song on the clubhouse stereo (or, conversely, objecting to someone playing the Thong Song on the clubhouse stereo)? Did he sit in Corey Seager’s preferred spot on the bus?
Its a mystery.
Anyway, Kelenic is back for his second stint on the Rangers’ active roster this season. Since being sent down, Kelenic has slashed .391/.456/.674 in 103 plate appearances over 24 games while going 7 for 7 on stolen base attempts. He went 2 for 4 on Sunday, with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored, and maybe the organization like the cut of his jib in that game so much they decided, the hell with Jonah Bride, we need this Kelenic guy back up!
In Kelenic’s previous stint with the Rangers, he was 1 for 8 with two walks, five Ks and a caught stealing in seven games. For some reason, I thought he had gotten more action than that.
The good news is that Danny Jansen will hopefully be back soon. Jansen has been out with an elbow issue that reportedly may or may not need surgery this offseason. He’s scheduled to catch four innings for Round Rock, and my guess is that he’ll spend the week with the Express and, if things go well, be activated when the Rangers return home a week from today to start a series against the Nationals.
