The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has activated shortstop Elvis Andrus from the Major League Baseball Paternity Leave List and optioned infielder Jurickson Profar to Triple-A Round Rock.
Andrus missed games on Wednesday vs. Boston and Friday vs. Los Angeles-AL while on the Paternity Leave List for the birth of son Elvis Emilio on Thursday morning. It marked the first time since Andrus' major league debut on Opening Day 2009 that he was not active for the Rangers in the regular season. Andrus has batted .301 with a career-high 11 home runs and 50 RBI in 82 games with Texas this season. He started 82 of the Rangers' first 84 games this season.
Profar went 3-for-7 in 2 starts at shortstop while Andrus was away. Profar has batted .172 in 22 games/18 starts spanning three stints with Texas this season: Opening Day-April 30, June 9-15, and July 5-7. He has spent the balance of the campaign at Round Rock, batting .303 with 2 home runs, 22 doubles, 26 RBI, and an .820 OPS figure in 50 games.
With these transactions, the Rangers still have 39 players on the club's major league roster, along with five players on the 60-day disabled list.
FRIERI TO ROUND ROCK: RHP Ernesto Frieri has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock. He was designated for assignment on July 4 and assigned to Round Rock yesterday after clearing waivers.