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With an eye on Beltre, Rangers call up Kouzmanoff

BOSTON -- The Rangers, bracing for the possibility that third baseman Adrian Beltre could need to go on the disabled list with a left quad muscle injury, have called up infielder Kevin Kouzmanoff from Triple-A Round Rock.

Kouzmanoff will be in uniform for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox. To make room, the Rangers designated pitcher Seth Rosin for assignment.

Beltre flew back to Texas to be examined by Dr. Keith Meister after leaving Tuesday's game with tightness in his left quad muscle. Beltre had a similar problem in Spring Training and was sidelined for a week. The Rangers are waiting to see what Meister finds before making a decision on Beltre, but they are obviously concerned.

"Anytime one of your best players is unavailable, you are concerned," general manager Jon Daniels said. "It's a little bit of an unknown. He has been dealing with hamstring muscles the past few years and knows how to manage them. This spring was the first time he dealt with a quad. Hopefully we'll get good news and it won't be long term."

Rosin is a Rule 5 Draft pick who was acquired on waivers from the Dodgers at the end of Spring Training. He was 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three games, but he has to stay on the roster for the entire season or be offered back to the Phillies. Right now, Rosin has to go through waivers, then the Phils get their chance to take him back. The Rangers like Rosin, but they knew it would be difficult to keep a Rule 5 pick on the roster. The Rangers decided instead to keep Daniel McCutchen as their long reliever.

"Seth did a nice job for us," Daniels said. "It has been a whirlwind few weeks. But where we are, we kind of felt McCutchen would give us length. That was the deciding factor. Right now, with as much maneuvering as we have and until things get settled down, the back few spots of the roster will be in a state of flux."

T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger.
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