Two injured Texas Rangers are set to begin rehabilitation assignments in the coming days, the Rangers announced on Tuesday in Houston.
Outfielder Eli White will begin his assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday. Pitcher Spencer Howard will begin one with Round Rock this weekend.
While the Rangers have depth in the outfield, getting Howard back would help their personnel-strapped starting rotation.
Howard has been on the injured list since Aug. 10, retroactive to Aug. 8, with a right shoulder impingement. Howard wasn’t ready to return when he was eligible on Aug. 23. The Express have games until the end of September, while the Rangers don’t end their season until early October.
The Rangers are 10-16 without Howard. He is 2-4 with a 7.41 ERA in 10 games (eight starts) with Texas in 2022.
White hasn’t played since he fractured his wrist and went on the injured list on June 13. While he’s been gone, however, players like Steele Walker, Josh Smith and Bubba Thompson have gotten shots at his left field position. Thompson started in the position during the Houston series.
The Rangers are 30-45 without White.
White is one of the fastest players on the 40-man roster and made one of the Rangers’ most electrifying catches in a game against Tampa Bay earlier this season. He briefly hit leadoff for the Rangers and was batting .200/.274/.305/.578 with three home runs and 10 RBI before the injury. He also stole 12 bases.
Another injured pitcher, reliever Joe Barlow, is set to pitch off a mound tomorrow as he tries to return from a second bout with a blister on his throwing hand. He’s been on the 15-day injured list since Aug. 18. Barlow is eligible to come off the IL.
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