Rangers select RHP Hunter Wood from Triple-A Round Rock, option LHP Wes Benjamin to Round Rock

By | May 15, 2021

Houston, Texas — The Texas Rangers announced the following roster moves prior to Saturday night’s game in Houston:

Wood, 27, has made 2 appearances with Round Rock this season: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R-ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, opponents 1-for-9. He last pitched on May 11 vs. Oklahoma City (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R-ER, 16 pitches). Wood was a member of the Rangers’ taxi squad for each of the club’s first three road trips in April, and he made one appearance for the Alternate Training Squad team that month (1.0 IP, 0 R). He made 11 relief appearances during Spring Training for Texas as a non-roster invitee, posting a 3.27 ERA (4 ER/11.0 IP) with one walk and 17 strikeouts along with a 0.73 WHIP figure and .175 opponents batting average.

Wood has gone 2-2 with a 3.32 ERA over 66 games/10 starts in his Major League career with Tampa Bay (2017-19) and Cleveland (2019), averaging 8.4 strikeouts per 9 innings. He split the 2019 campaign with the Rays and Indians, posting a 2.98 ERA (15 ER/45.1 IP) with 12 walks and 39 strikeouts in 36 games/2 starts. His last MLB appearance came with Cleveland on Sept. 28, 2019 at Washington (0.2 IP, 1 R-ER). The Arkansas native was in the Cleveland organization in 2020, spending the abbreviated season at the Alternate Training Site.

Benjamin was recalled to start the game on Friday at Houston, taking the loss (1.2 IP, 3 R-ER). He is 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA (6 ER/7.1 IP) over 4 games/one start spanning two stints with the Rangers in 2021: Opening Day-April 16 and May 14.

Kruger was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels via waiver claim on Sunday, May 9. He was optioned to Round Rock (AAA) when he reported to the club on Monday, and he has been on the Rangers’ taxi squad during this week’s road trip. He had been designated for assignment on May 7 when the Angels acquired catcher Drew Butera in a trade with Texas.

Following today’s transactions, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the Major League roster, along with six players on the 60-day Injured List.

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