The Texas Rangers announced this morning that the club has purchased the contract of left-handed pitcher Brandon Mann (#52) from Triple-A Round Rock. To make room for Mann on the active roster, the team has optioned left-handed pitcher Yohander Méndez to Round Rock.
Mann, who will turn 34 on Wednesday, will be in uniform for today's series finale in Houston, seeking his major league debut. He has spent the season at Round Rock, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.04 ERA (2 ER/17.1 IP) in 12 games/one start while holding opponents to a .133 (8-60) batting average with 5 walks, 13 strikeouts, and just 2 extra-base hits. He opened the season with 10.0 shutout innings over his first 8 games, and allowed just one unearned run in his initial 11 appearances and 16.1 innings. He last pitched on Thursday against New Orleans (0.2 IP, 2 R-ER). Mann made one spring training appearance for Texas as an addition from minor league camp, posting 1.0 scoreless inning on March 19 versus Colorado.
Originally selected by Tampa Bay in the 27th round of the 2002 June draft, Mann has pitched in Japan and independent ball across 17 years since being drafted. At 33 years, 362 days old today, he would be second-oldest player in Rangers history at the time of major league debut behind only right-handed pitcher Yoshinori Tateyama (35.149 on 5/24/11 vs. CWS). The only older player at the time of his big league debut in 2018 was Arizona right-handed pitcher Yoshihisa Hirano (34.021 on 3/29 vs. COL).
Mendez finished last night's loss in Houston (0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R), his only appearance since being recalled from Round Rock on May 3.
With these moves, the Rangers now have 39 players on the club's major league roster, along with 6 players on the 60-day disabled list