Rangers reinstate C A.J. Pierzynski from disabled list; purchase contract of LHP Neal Cotts

Arlington, Texas - The Texas Rangers formally announced the following four roster moves prior to tonight's game:

• Reinstated C A.J. Pierzynski from 15-day disabled list
• Purchased contract of LHP Neal Cotts (#56) from Triple-A Round Rock
• Optioned RHP Josh Lindblom to Triple-A Round Rock
• Optioned C Robinson Chirinos to Triple-A Round Rock

Pierzynski was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 10, retroactive to May 6, with a strained right oblique muscle. Today was the first date he was eligible to return. It was just the second disabled list stint of his career. Pierzynski played 2 games with Double-A Frisco against San Antonio on an injury rehabilitation assignment the past two days, going 1-for-6. He was the starting catcher for Sunday's game and served as designated hitter in yesterday's contest. The club's Opening Day catcher, Pierzynski has batted .263 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI in 26 games for Texas this season.

Cotts, 33, will be looking to make his Rangers debut, as his last major league game came with the Cubs on May 29, 2009 vs. Pittsburgh. He has spent the entire season with Round Rock, going 3-1 with 2 saves and a 0.78 ERA (2 ER/23.0 IP) over 15 relief appearances for the Express. Pacific Coast League opponents have batted .171 (13-76) with 5 walks against 42 strikeouts, and left-handed batters were 0-for-28. Since allowing his only runs of the season on April 10 vs. Iowa, Cotts has tossed 19.1 scoreless innings over his last 12 appearances. He has converted both save chances, those coming in each of his last 2 appearances on Friday/Saturday vs. Colorado Springs, fanning 5 of his 6 batters faced over those 2 outings. He threw 10 pitches in his last appearance on Saturday. Cotts also stranded all 7 inherited runners.

Cotts has gone 10-12 with a 4.64 ERA over 284 games/5 starts in his major league career with Chicago-AL (2003-06) and Chicago-NL (2007-09). He appeared in all 4 World Series games during the White Sox' 2005 World Series championship run, when his batterymate was A.J. Pierzynski. Cotts missed all of the 2010 season after Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

Lindblom, 25, made his first career start last night vs. Oakland (4.2 IP, 4 R-ER), taking the loss in his Rangers debut. He began the season with Round Rock (AAA), going 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA (10 ER/43.1 IP) in 8 games/7 starts for the Express.

Chirinos was recalled from Round Rock on May 10 when Pierzynski went on the disabled list, batting .250 (3-12) with 2 doubles in 3 games/starts for Texas. The Rangers were 3-0 when Chirinos played. He began the year with the Express, batting .295 with 2 home runs and 14 RBI in 23 games after being acquired from Tampa Bay on April 8.

With these moves, the Rangers now have 39 players on the club's 40-man roster.