Gomez still out; Lucroy extension talks tabled

Outfielder's shoulder among handful of injuries to track before opener

March 25th, 2017

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Center fielder remains sidelined with a jammed left shoulder, and the Rangers aren't sure when he'll be back in the lineup.
The Rangers are still expecting Gomez to be ready for Opening Day, but Saturday marked the fourth day he was out of the lineup since injuring the shoulder.
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"It's feeling good," Gomez said Saturday morning. "Everything is going better than expected. Today I am going to go outside, throw, play catch and run. Tomorrow, depending on how it goes, I'm going to try and swing. We've still got eight or nine days to go before the start of the season. We don't want to rush it."
Gomez injured the shoulder on an awkward slide into third base against the White Sox on Tuesday.
"When this happened, the second day I was really sore," Gomez said. "Yesterday and today, I feel I am close."
Lucroy talks tabled

The Rangers have not been able to make progress with catcher on a contract extension that would keep him becoming a free agent after the season. Right now the talks have been tabled, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Lucroy is one of a long list of players who have been contacted by the Rangers about contract extensions this spring. The Rangers have reached agreements with and , and have had discussions with and among others.
Cashner could be back April 15

Rangers pitcher is scheduled to throw three innings and 45 pitches in a Minor League game. Cashner is still expected to start the season on the disabled list but could be on track to join the Rangers rotation on April 15 against the Mariners.
"It's a possibility, but it's a tight window," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "We want to make sure we don't miss any steps."
The Rangers, because of two off-days in the first eight days of the season, don't need a fifth starter until April 15. By going every fifth day, Cashner could pitch in four Minor League games and be on track to start April 15. Four starts should build him up to 75-90 pitches.
Rangers beat
threw his second live batting practice session Saturday as he tried to complete his recovery from offseason surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. Next to be determined is if Ross will pitch another live batting practice or pitch in a Minor League game.
• Joey Gallo, sidelined with a strained left hamstring, is taking batting practice and playing catch, but is not ready to participate in games.
• Cole Hamels starts against the Dodgers on Sunday in Surprise. starts on Monday against the Rockies. Webster is a Minor League free agent who pitched in Korea last season and has a 3.97 ERA this spring in five outings. This will be his second start.
• Sunday will mark two weeks since infielder has played in a game. He has been sidelined with a strained right shoulder.
• Tony Barnette and both pitched a scoreless inning for Triple-A Round Rock in a Minor League game on Saturday against Tacoma.