DeShields sits out with bruised left knee

ARLINGTON -- Rangers center fielder Delino DeShields was out of the starting lineup on Sunday against the Mariners a day after bruising his left knee, but manager Jeff Banister said it was a planned day off anyway for the rookie.

With a travel day Monday, Banister used the opportunity to get DeShields consecutive days off for the first time since he missed three games in a row on the Rangers' last road trip with a sprain of the same knee. DeShields started all nine games of the homestand before Sunday.

"When we looked at the two [Mariners] starters that we were facing, with the third being Felix [Hernandez], that it kind of set up for us to be able to give Delino today and tomorrow," Banister said. "Sore knee, banged up, so it just kind of played its way out. This just gives him a little extra time to help that thing calm down."

DeShields aggravated that sore knee sliding for a popup that fell between him and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo in Saturday's win over Seattle.

"That was the first time I slid on that leg since [the sprain] happened," DeShields said. "It was a little hard -- it wasn't graceful. But it's fine. Just giving it a day to rest and then we've got this long stretch at the end of the year. Just trying to get it right."

DeShields had hits in seven of his last eight games after going hitless in the previous 17 at-bats.

Worth noting

• Outfielder Leonys Martin (broken hamate bone in right hand) was recalled Sunday from Triple-A Round Rock. He hit .220/.265/.314 in 94 games before the injury.

• Adrian Beltre entered Sunday with a 16-game home hitting streak, going 28-for-61 (.459) during that stretch. In the first nine games of the 10-game homestand, he hit .514 (18-for-35) with five doubles, two homers, 12 RBI and six walks.