The Texas Rangers optioned reliever Marc Church and infielder Justin Foscue to AAA Round Rock, the team announced yesterday.
Church made the Opening Day roster in 2025 but struggled with his command, was sent down, and then spent most of the season dealing with injuries, including a torn teres major muscle* that ended his season. Church was still working his way back from that injury when spring training began, and made his first spring appearance on Sunday against the Dodgers. A player can’t be optioned
if they are injured, so Church couldn’t be optioned until he was healthy — otherwise, he’d have to start the season on the major league injured list.
* You may remember this as the same injury that cost Jose Leclerc and Corey Kluber most of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Foscue was slowed by a hamstring strain early in camp, and also returned to action on Sunday. At the start of camp, there was some thought that Foscue could potentially earn a spot on the Opening Day roster in a platoon DH/bench role. The combination of the injury, which sidelined him for a good amount of time, and the addition of Andrew McCutchen ended those hopes.
The Rangers still have 30 of the 40 man roster members in camp. Assuming McCutchen — who is on a minor league deal, and thus not on the 40 man roster currently — makes the team, at least five players on the 40 man roster who are still in camp will not make the Opening Day roster. Among guys who don’t have a roster spot locked up, Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker are fighting for the fifth starter spot, and Luis Curvelo is still in the mix for a bullpen spot, as is Latz, should he not make the rotation. Alejandro Osuna and Michael Helman are still in camp, though would seem to be headed to AAA unless someone gets hurt. Cody Freeman, who is sidelined with a stress fracture in his back, most likely will start the year on the major league injured list.
