ARLINGTON -- Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter underwent an arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body in his right ankle region on Tuesday morning, general manager Ross Fenstermaker announced.
Leiter landed on the injured list on Sunday (retroactive to Friday) with what was then described as “posterior right ankle impingement,” but after consulting with several foot specialists, the club decided surgery was the best way to move forward.
Leiter’s surgery was performed by Dr. Ned Amendola, a foot and ankle specialist, at Duke University. The Rangers expect Leiter back before the end of the season, but the timeline is fluid.
“He's bummed, but it was needed,” said Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. “I commend him for trying to make each and every start the way he was feeling. But it's a tough blow. There's no doubt about it. But we look forward to seeing him at some point this season.”
The ankle injury likely traces back to a tumble he took on the on-deck circle chasing past an errant throw during an April 22 loss to the Pirates at Globe Life Field.
Leiter did his best to pitch through the ailment, though it had adverse effects for him. In three June starts, Leiter went 0-3 with 9.88 ERA and only nine strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings. He is 3-7 overall with a 5.29 ERA in 15 starts this season.
This is the first major blow the Rangers have had to the rotation this season.
“We've got a couple different internal options that we feel we can mix and match with,” Fenstermaker said of filling Leiter’s rotation spot. “We still have to go back to the drawing board and figure out different ways or iterations in which we're going to put this together, but we'll probably have a little bit more clarity as we get a few days further into this. But I feel confident in the group that we have.”
Veteran right-handed Cal Quantrill is starting Tuesday night’s matchup with the Marlins in Leiter’s spot of the rotation. The Rangers also recalled Jose Corniell, the club's No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He will also be an option to pitch length, whether that’s as a starter or out of the bullpen.
To this point, there are still a few weeks to go before a pair of injured starters return. Jordan Montgomery just made his first rehab start with a scoreless inning at Double-A Frisco on Sunday, while Cody Bradford is expected to begin throwing live BP in the coming weeks.
“We feel confident that the group will be able to bridge that gap as those guys continue their recoveries,” Fenstermaker reiterated.