ARLINGTON -- Rangers right-hander Jeremy Jeffress made his first appearance since being activated from the restricted list, against the team that he was traded from on Aug. 1 in Monday's 8-3 loss to the Brewers.
"I just took everything in," said Jeffress. "It made me feel good inside and I want to keep that feeling -- respect that feeling and not take it for granted. I want to keep them coming."
Jeffress didn't allow a hit, striking out one, in his 1 1/3 innings of work against his former club. He hadn't pitched for the Rangers since Aug. 23, after spending 22 days in a Houston-area rehabilitation clinic following a DWI arrest in Dallas.
"It doesn't take much for me [to get ready]," Jeffress said. "I've always had that competitive go right at them attitude, so I [didn't] need much to be ready at all."
Jeffress was able to throw frequently at the clinic and doesn't think he's lost anything from where he was at earlier in the year. It's not clear if Jeffress will be on the team's postseason roster, though.
Before being acquired, Jeffress racked up 22 saves with the Brewers. He had made nine appearances with the Rangers before being placed on the restricted list, allowing four runs over nine innings.
Jeffress said refocusing attention to baseball, rather than just his health, will be his biggest challenge. But he's been able to learn a lot about himself during his time off.
"The biggest part is how I make decisions," Jeffress said. "How every decision I do make affects a lot of people, not just me individually. I kind of was on the selfish fence.
"[The experience was] very eye-opening mentally, emotionally. A lot of insight on who I really am and who I really want to be."
Barnette could pitch on Tuesday
The Rangers are expecting another reliever, right-hander Tony Barnette, to join them soon, as well. Barnette, who has not pitched since Sept. 4 due to a left oblique strain, is expected to be available for Tuesday's game against Milwaukee. Rangers manager Jeff Banister wanted to give Barnette 48 hours of rest after throwing batting practice on Saturday. Barnette had been a reliable middle reliever for the Rangers up to the injury, going 6-3 with a 2.15 ERA in his rookie year.
"Obviously, I want to compete. I want to keep the competitive juices flowing," Barnette said. "but I don't think I've lost anything."
Rangers beat
• Banister has set the Rangers' rotation for the final week of the regular season. Martin Pérez, A.J. Griffin and Cole Hamels will take the mound against the Brewers. Yu Darvish, Colby Lewis and Perez will finish things out during a three-game series against the Rays. Banister elected to not move Hamels back to the weekend, in order to get Perez and Lewis one more start.
"I think it's as important to have [Lewis and Perez] pitch one more time, as it is for Darvish and Hamels," Banister said.
• Class A Advanced High Desert catcher Jose Trevino won the 2016 Gold Glove Award as the Minors' top catcher. He's the first Rangers prospect since Hanser Alberto (2014) to win a Minor League Gold Glove Award.