Fielder to keep sharing first-base duties, now with Blanks

ARLINGTON -- Kyle Blanks went right into the lineup on Wednesday after being called up to replace Mitch Moreland. Blanks will share first base duties with Prince Fielder -- the same arrangement Moreland had before undergoing elbow surgery.

"He is playing first base tonight," manager Jeff Banister said of Blanks. "The rest has yet to be seen. Prince will still play first base. Tonight we're going to give [Blanks] the opportunity to play a complete game. That's what he has been doing. Let him stay in the game. Prince has been at DH the past few games so let's keep that in play."

Blanks comes to the big leagues off a hot streak put together at Triple-A Round Rock. After starting the season 0-for-12, he had 17 hits in his last 40 at-bats with three home runs and 16 RBIs.

Moreland underwent surgery to have a bone chip removed from his left elbow on Wednesday and is expected to be sidelined for 2-3 weeks. Moreland's last four starts had been at first base while Fielder's last five have been at designated hitter.

Blanks, who has appeared in 260 games over the past six seasons with the Padres and Athletics, has had twice as much Major League time in the outfield than he has at first base. But the Rangers limited him to first base in Spring Training because of his long history of injuries.