Scheppers' abdominal injury not sports hernia

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rangers reliever Tanner Scheppers has a strain in his lower abdomen, but it is not a sports hernia. He was able to play catch on Sunday, and making the Opening Day roster is still a possibility.
"He pitched multiple innings [on Friday]," assistant general manager Mike Daly said. "We need to see how the abdominal strain is doing, but we are not ruling anything out as far as Tanner making the Opening Day roster."
Scheppers felt something in the lower abdomen in his second inning of work against the Padres on Thursday.
"I had a sensation in a sensitive area,' Scheppers said. "It was something I've never experienced and something I didn't want to push through in Spring Training. We decided to get it checked out."
The initial fear was a sports hernia, which could have led to surgery and another prolonged stay on the disabled list. Scheppers has been on the disabled list five times in the past three years.

But the MRI results were clean.
"Just a nerve that needed to settle down," Scheppers said.
Scheppers has made six appearances in the Cactus League with a 3.52 ERA, 1.83 WHIP and a .290 opponents' batting average.
Rangers beat
• Hanser Alberto has been a utility infielder for the Rangers over the past two seasons, but never really got a chance to compete for that job this spring. Instead he could be headed for the disabled list after suffering more pain in his right shoulder. Alberto has not played in a game since March 12.
• Infielder Joey Gallo (strained left hamstring) and outfielder Carlos Gómez (jammed left shoulder) are working out and doing baseball activities, but are not yet ready for game action.
• Right-handed starter Tyson Ross (offseason shoulder surgery) will have another live batting practice session either Tuesday or Wednesday. He is scheduled to throw the equivalent of two 15-pitch innings. If that goes well, the next step could be pitching in a Minor League game with the possible goal of being back the first week of May.