Kela sent to Minors to keep him fresh

ARLINGTON -- The Rangers took advantage of their recent bullpen additions Saturday by optioning right-hander Keone Kela to Double-A Frisco before a 9-7 loss to the Giants.

Kela is expected to get a short rest period in the Minors, and the club was able to make that happen after acquiring needed reinforcements in left-hander Jake Diekman and right-hander Sam Dyson on Friday.

Diekman came over from the Phillies as part of the Cole Hamels trade, and the Rangers got Dyson from the Marlins for catcher Tomas Telis and left-hander Cody Ege.

Not only does it give the Rangers capable arms, but it takes pressure off current pitchers such as Kela who have shouldered the burden of 331 1/3 bullpen innings this season, fourth-most in the American League.

Kela is 5-5 with a 3.30 ERA and an AL-leading 49 appearances in his first Major League season.

"This is long term," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "We've got a young kid that we want to keep around for a long time. We want to take care of him, just like the rest of those pitchers out there. To monitor the workload, the innings, keep him as fresh as we possibly can, we have an opportunity to do that now."

Banister didn't get into specifics, but said the Rangers have a plan for Kela that will get him back to the Majors after a short rest period. At the same time, there isn't a date set in stone.

"I don't know an architect that doesn't have an eraser on his pencil," Banister said.

The Rangers will lose Kela, but they wouldn't have done it if they weren't happy with the new members of their bullpen.

Video: SF@TEX: Diekman retires Pagan in Rangers debut

Diekman is a power pitcher who already impressed by throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his Friday debut. He struck out Gregor Blanco to end the eighth inning Saturday after the Giants had rallied to tie the game.

"Diekman last year was probably just as good as all but a couple lefties in the game," general manager Jon Daniels said. "You don't see many relievers punching out [100] guys in a big league season, and he did that."

Dyson was 3-3 with a 3.68 ERA this season for the Marlins. Dyson has appeared in a career-high 45 games, but also pitched 31 times in the Majors last season. He took the loss in his Rangers debut Saturday, allowing Hunter Pence's go-ahead homer in the 11th after pitching a scoreless 10th.

"Power sinker, again a different look from what we have in our bullpen," Daniels said before Saturday's game. "It gives [Banister] some options, different situations to use different looks and guys that have already had success at the big league level."

• Catcher Carlos Corporan started at DH on Friday and went 0-for-3 in the second game of his Minor League rehab assignment. Corporan is on the disabled list with a left thumb sprain.

• The Rangers' 6-3 win Friday against the Giants' Madison Bumgarner was the first time they have handed a loss to a left-handed starter since June 27.