Beltre visits former teammates at Rangers camp

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Adrian Beltre was in the neighborhood, so to speak, as he prepared to watch his son play a baseball tournament in Tucson, so the former Texas third baseman paid a visit to his old teammates with a Saturday morning stop by the Rangers’ facilities in Surprise, Ariz., before they headed out to face the Giants.

The recently retired Beltre, a future Hall of Famer, still commands a large presence in the Rangers' clubhouse.

“He can walk through those doors anytime he wants,” manager Chris Woodward said.

The soon-to-be 40-year-old Beltre spent the final eight seasons of his 21-year career with the Rangers, finishing with the 16th-most hits in Major League history at 3,166. He was quick to point out Saturday that he won’t be adding to those stats, as he is enjoying retirement and his family.

“I heard that I was supposed to be feeling some kind of itch and urge to play, but not yet," Beltre said. "It’s nice to hang out and see the guys."

Beltre will have his No. 29 retired by the Rangers on June 8 at Globe Life Park, joining Nolan Ryan and Ivan Rodriguez as the only Texas players to earn the honor.

“For me, it’s something special,” Beltre said, “because in my whole life, I never thought that I’m going to have my jersey retired. For me, it’s an honor, and I’m grateful for their decision to do that for me.

“It’s going to be nice to see my jersey retired; that means I can never come back and play.”

Woodward, the Rangers' first-year manager, would love to have Beltre around in any capacity.

“I actually told him, ‘Hey, if you’re going to be around, if you want to address the team, they’d love to hear from you and to hear what you’re doing,’” Woodward said. “'It doesn’t have to be like a ‘rah-rah’ speech, but just let guys know what you’re up to and that you’re thinking about them.’

“I know he obviously cares a lot about the organization -- it shows. It’s always good to have him around. Hopefully he’ll be around more, I’m trying to talk him into it. But it might be tough this year to pull him out of being Dad.”

Minor sharp in second start

Rangers starter Mike Minor threw three scoreless innings against the Giants on Saturday, allowing one hit while walking none and striking out two, in his second outing of the spring. Minor gave up one run on one hit with three strikeouts in two innings against the Indians on Monday.

Minor said he is far more pleased with this spring compared to last year's camp, when he posted a 6.17 ERA over 11 2/3 innings. He said he started throwing earlier this year.

“Last year, I just felt like I was up and down a lot,” Minor said. “I’d have a good game, and then it was an OK game, and then a bad game -- or that’s how I judged it, even if the results were OK on the line. I just felt like I was kind of riding the wave the whole time.”

At the end of May last season, Minor had a 5.76 ERA, its high point in 2018.

“This year, I wanted to feel more prepared going into the season and not have that hiccup like I did last year, where the first two months were pretty bad,” Minor said. “I just feel like everything's coming out the right way. I’m not forcing anything. I’m throwing it where I want to.”

DeShields scratched, day to day with sore knee

Center fielder Delino DeShields didn’t play Saturday as planned, instead getting the day off to rest his sore right knee. Woodward said DeShields is still hurting from running into a wall in the first game of the spring, but the injury is not expected to be serious and DeShields is considered day to day.

In DeShields’ absence, Carlos Tocci started in center.

Forsythe makes first appearance

Recently signed infielder Logan Forsythe made his Rangers debut on Saturday, going 1-for-2 as the starting shortstop.

Forsythe batted .232 with the Dodgers and Twins last season in 120 games. The Rangers signed the 32-year-old to a Minor League contract on Feb. 26 as a possible utility infield option.

Up next

The Rangers will play a pair of split-squad games on Sunday, hosting the Padres in Surprise and visiting the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz. Both games start at 2:05 p.m. CT. Woodward, who was the Dodgers’ third-base coach the last three seasons, will travel to meet his former team. Righty Lance Lynn will make his Texas debut in Glendale, while lefty Brock Burke will take the mound against the Padres.