Choo searches for answers to turn around slump

ARLINGTON -- Out of the lineup for the second straight game, Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo spent extra time with hitting coach Dave Magadan in the indoor batting cage on Wednesday. He also spent time looking at video from previous seasons when he was hitting well.

He doesn't see any changes or anything out of whack with his swing.

"My mechanics are pretty much the same," Choo said. "In baseball, everything is mental. Our whole offense is in the same spot. We're all trying to find something but right now it is hard to find a way."

Choo is available to pinch-hit but manager Jeff Banister wanted to give him a couple days off to get extra work. Choo went into Wednesday's game hitless in his last 20 at-bats and hitting .096 for the season. This has been the worst month of his career. He hit .179 for the Rangers in June 2014.

"The numbers are bad but I feel fine," Choo said. "When you're not doing well, people talk about anything and everything. But when I get in the batter's box, I don't want to show that I'm struggling. I'm trying to do the best I can."

Video: TEX@OAK: Choo crushes three-run blast in the 4th

The Rangers are off on Thursday and then face Oakland left-handers Scott Kazmir and Drew Pomeranz on Friday and Saturday. Banister hasn't said when Choo will return to the starting lineup.

"I will continue to communicate with Choo on how he feels," Banister said. "The plan was to give him a couple of days. He has done good work with Magadan in the cages and good video work. I saw him today and he had energy in his step. He feels good and likes the work he has done in the cages."

Worth noting:

• Reliever Kyuji Fujikawa, on the disabled list because of tightness in his right groin, is scheduled to make his sixth appearance for Round Rock on Thursday in Memphis. He has a 4.15 ERA and the Rangers aren't in any hurry to get him to Arlington.

Said manager Jeff Banister, "He is working on his fastball command. His velocity has been in and out. It's similar but not quite the same as what we saw at the end of Spring Training … not as sharp or crisp."

• Triple-A outfielder Alex Hassan has been designated for assignment so that Kyle Blanks could be put on the 40-man roster. Hassan was claimed off waivers from the Athletics on April 9 and was hitting .267.

• The Rangers are off on Thursday before beginning a stretch of 17 straight games. They have one off-day in May. Right now Banister said the Rangers are not planning to use the off-day to make any adjustments in their rotation.