Rangers Move Reliever Chris Martin to Injured List After Latest Arm Issue

The Texas Rangers have placed right-handed reliever Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder fatigue, the franchise announced on Tuesday.

The Rangers are starting a six-game road trip against the New York Yankees on Tuesday. After three games in New York, Texas heads to Chicago for three games with the White Sox.

The move is retroactive to Monday. The Rangers called up Cole Winn from Triple-A Round Rock to take his place in the bullpen.

The move comes after Martin threw two pitches in two games last week and left with an injury both times.

Why is Chris Martin on the Injured List?

Officially, Martin has right shoulder fatigue. But twice last week he showed pain in two different areas of his right arm after two pitches in two separate games.

Last Tuesday, he threw one pitch in the ninth inning as he tried to lock down a save against the Colorado Rockies. He gave up a double, grimaced in pain and then left.

His MRI came back clean, and the Rangers called it forearm tightness. They stayed away from using Martin in the hope that an IL stint could be avoided.

On Sunday against the Houston Astros, the Rangers finally brought him back. He threw one pitch and again showed pain, though this time it was in his right shoulder, which has had a previous surgery.

Martin underwent another MRI on Monday. Again, Martin avoided any serious injury. But, given that Martin is 39 years old, has pitched in 22 games and has now experience pain on consecutive pitches, the Rangers are being cautious and have moved him to the IL.

Martin has been incredibly reliable in his first season with Texas since 2018. He is 0-4, but he has a 1.83 ERA in 22 games with 23 strikeouts and three walks in 19.2 innings. He also has one save and nine holds.

If there is any quibble it’s that he’s been used too much.

When he experienced the forearm tightness, it was his third appearance in consecutive days.