ARLINGTON -- There is a reason why Rangers outfielder Danny Santana went almost three weeks without playing in a game.
The Rangers were concerned Santana might blow out his right elbow and miss a year or more. The injury was that serious, manager Chris Woodward revealed on Monday, the day after Santana was activated from the injured list.
“It was risky,” Woodward said. “The last thing we wanted to do was risk blowing out his UCL. There were some forearm issues, there was a ligament. It was just in a precarious place. We didn’t want to risk it at all, if he makes one hard throw, have that thing blow and miss over a year.”
Santana said he felt some tightness in his right forearm before the July 28 game against the D-backs at Globe Life Field. He went 0-for-4 that night with three strikeouts, and then felt the arm tighten even more.
Santana admitted he was a little scared because he has never had arm problems before.
“This was the first time,” Santana said.
The Rangers shut down Santana, slowly letting him build up arm strength through a progressive throwing program. He was in the lineup Monday in the Rangers' 14-4 loss to the Padres, going 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored as the designated hitter.
That could be his role at least for this week. Santana was the Opening Day center fielder and wants to play there every day, but that’s not possible right now. The Rangers are hoping to get his arm strength to the point where he can be used at either first or second base.
“We just have to make sure his arm is healthy,” Woodward said. “I’m hoping within a week we can get some clearance to move him around the infield. If that works out well with his throwing, we can push him to the outfield as well.”
Nick Solak is playing center field right now, and the Rangers welcome the chance of getting his bat in the lineup every day. But Santana has more speed and experience in center, and the Rangers’ best defensive team appears to be with him in center. Santana was told it could take four weeks from the point of the injury to when his arm should be strong enough to play center.
“I feel really good,” Santana said. “I want to be there, but right now I can’t be back there [in center] because I don’t feel 100 percent. I’ve got to do my thing. When I complete four weeks, I will be playing outfield.”
Minor expects no limitations
Left-hander Mike Minor said he doesn’t expect to be limited by a pitch count when he starts against the Padres on Tuesday.
“No limitations,” Minor said. “If something happens where the velocity drops, obviously we’ll adjust but going into the start, no limitations.”
Minor threw four scoreless innings in his last start against the Mariners last Tuesday but was limited to 76 pitches. The Rangers were concerned about his stamina and durability over his first three starts and are trying to build him back up. A drop in velocity in the later innings of his starts was also disconcerting.
The Rangers pushed him behind Jordan Lyles in the rotation, and Minor will be pitching on six days’ rest against the Padres. Since the beginning of 2018, Minor is 4-4 with a 4.84 ERA on six-plus days of rest. He has been focusing on long toss and mobility exercises during his extra time off.
“I could have pitched on the fifth day,” Minor said. “I want to pitch on the fifth day, they didn’t want me to. I guess it’s for the better. I am more frustrated with the results I had early on. I felt like I prepared but I didn’t look prepared. I never want to look like that or have the results I had.”
Rangers beat
• Shortstop Elvis Andrus was given his first day off Monday with Isiah Kiner-Falefa starting at shortstop. Woodward said Kiner-Falefa could be an option at second base if the Rangers want to use Santana at first base and move Todd Frazier to third.
• The Rangers, after returning from Colorado, have two games at home against the Padres and then go back on the road to San Diego and Seattle. The last time the Rangers had a two-game homestand during the regular season was July 23-24, 2003, against the Angels.
• Woodward on the Rangers’ lack of power production: “I know our ballpark is going to lead to less home runs, because it is a little bit bigger than our old [park], but I don’t think that’s the main factor. We just have a group that’s not driving the baseball at the same time.”