Kyle Higashioka to Begin Rangers Injury Rehab Assignment this Weekend

DETROIT — The Kyle Higashioka show may be coming back to Globe Life Field as early as next week.

The 35-year-old catcher will start an injury rehab assignment with the Triple-A Round Rock Express on Saturday, according to manager Bruce Bochy. The Express are in El Paso.

Higashioka was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 1 (retroactive to April 30) with a mild left intercostal strain.

What’s the Rehab Plan for Kyle Higashioka?

Bochy said the plan is for him to get at-bats on Saturday and on Sunday. By Monday, the Rangers will be back in Arlington, preparing for a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies that starts on Monday.

He is eligible to be activated from the IL on Monday. Bochy did not say if Texas intended to do so on Monday.

The Rangers signed Higashioka to a two-year, $13.5 million contract this offseason to be part of a catching tandem with Jonah Heim. At times, the pair of have been two of the best hitters on the team. In one lineup before he went to the IL, the pair batted back-to-back and in the third and fourth positions in the order.

Through 17 games he slashed .254/.279/.390 with one home run and eight RBI in a mix of games behind the plate and at designated hitter.

He’s played nine Major League seasons with two other teams, the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres. He has a lifetime slash of .214/.257/.411 with 58 home runs and 174 RBI.

Heim has remained healthy in the time share and he entered Friday’s action with the Tigers slashing .289/.349/.433 with four home runs and 11 RBI through 29 games. Those are the sort of numbers Texas leadership envisioned from the 29-year-old when they opted for the time-share approach this offseason.

Without Higashioka, the Rangers have turned to Tucker Barnhart to serve as Heim’s backup. The former Tigers backstop has played in three games and slashed .429/.500/.429.

Texas has been one of the lowest producing offenses in baseball amid high expectations. On Sunday, the Rangers made a significant move in letting go offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker, who helped helm the coaching group responsible for hitting, and hired former MLB All-Star Bret Boone. He is with the team and participating in his first week as part of the coaching staff.