TORONTO -- Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre is headed back to Texas after playing his third of three scheduled extended spring training games, and his rehab process continues to yield positive results.
Beltre is flying back Saturday night before taking a rest day Sunday. On Monday, the Rangers will evaluate Beltre and determine whether he is ready to make his 2017 debut. Texas opens its homestand that day against the Rays.
In Arizona on Saturday afternoon, Beltre played seven innings at third base in an intrasquad game, making a pair of good defensive plays in the field. He also got seven at-bats, recording two singles and a double, and experienced no soreness or setbacks with his calf.
Beltre has been out since the start of the season as he recovers from the calf injury, and in his absence, the Rangers have gotten off to a 24-26 start. They've now lost five in a row after riding a 10-game win streak through the heart of May, so the timing of Beltre's potential return would be ideal.
In Beltre's absence, Joey Gallo has gotten most of the starts at third base. Gallo is hitting .195 but leads the team in home runs with 14.