ANAHEIM, Calif. — Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter will make his first minor league rehab start at Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday night.
What exactly happens after that still remains to be determined.
Leiter, who has been sidelined for two months because of ankle surgery, will “most likely” make at least one more minor league rehab start after Thursday’s game according to Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. The Rangers have yet to determine exactly what role Leiter will return in despite the fact that the rotation took another hit this week and all options appear to be on the table.
“It’s no longer the marathon of a baseball season,” Schumaker said. “It’s a sprint. So we’re going to try to do whatever we can to have our best, healthiest guys moving forward and take our best shot, whether that means he’s bullpen, starter, piggybacking, whatever.”
Here’s where things stand with the club’s other injured players.
LHP Robert Garcia: Garcia is expected to pitch off of a mound “soon,” Schumaker said, as he ramps up baseball activities after shoulder inflammation sidelined him for nearly four months. He hasn’t pitched since April 20, but because he’ll only need to be stretched out to one inning, his rehabilitation process could now move quickly.
3B Josh Jung: Jung has now missed three weeks because of a calf strain and has still not restarted baseball activities. He was originally expected to miss only 10 to 14 days, but as each game passes, it’s become evident that he’ll miss at least a month in total.
C Kyle Higashioka: Higashioka, who’s been sidelined since July 21, underwent another round of imaging on his right flexor strain Tuesday afternoon and will now begin a throwing program.
C Danny Jansen: Jansen caught five innings at Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday night in his first organized game in over two months as he works his way back from a right forearm strain. He went 1 for 2 at the plate, and per Schumaker, “came out feeling good.”