The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has formally assigned shortstop Elvis Andrus to Double-A Frisco on injury rehabilitation assignment. Andrus is scheduled to start at shortstop for tonight's RoughRiders game against Midland at 7:05 p.m. CT at Dr Pepper Ballpark.
 
Andrus took live batting practice on Friday and Saturday at Globe Life Park in Arlington ahead of tonight's scheduled start for Frisco, a game in which he is slated to play 5 innings at shortstop. Andrus was placed on the disabled list on April 13, retroactive to April 12, with an olecranon fracture in his right elbow. He suffered the injury when he was hit by a Kenyan Middleton pitch while batting in the 9th inning of the Rangers' April 11 game against the Los Angeles Angels. Andrus was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on May 2 and is eligible to be activated by the Rangers at any time.
 
Andrus has batted .327 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI in 14 games with Texas in 2018. From his Major League debut for the Rangers on Opening Day in 2009 until his placement on the disabled list, Andrus had been inactive for just three of the Rangers' 1515 regular season and post-season games, May 17, 2016 on the MLB suspended list and July 5 & 7, 2017 on the MLB paternity list. He has not played in a minor league game since his 2008 season with Frisco, when he ranked 4th in the Texas League with a .295 batting average as the youngest player in the circuit. 
 
MINOR LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS FOR MAY: The club has named its minor league award winners for the month of May. The winners are RHP Jonathan Hernandez (pitcher), INF Charles Leblanc (player), OF Eric Jenkins (defender), and LHP Sal Mendez (reliever). Hernandez has won the pitching award in each of the first two months this season, and he is scheduled to make his Double-A debut tonight with Frisco (see below).
 
Leblanc, who turned 22 on June 3, batted .305/.411/.589/1.000 (29-95) with 7 home runs and 21 RBI over 27 games with High-A Down East in May. The club's 4th round selection in the 2016 June draft, he currently ranks among Carolina League leaders in extra-base hits (T1st, 27), total bases (T2nd, 111), RBI (T2nd, 43), doubles (T2nd, 16), home runs (T4th, 9), and batting average (5th, .300).
 
Jenkins, 21, has a .988 (1 E/86 TC) fielding percentage in 52 games/49 starts this season for Hickory (A) and Down East, posting 3 outfield assists. He was the club's 2nd round draft pick in 2015. Mendez, 23, went 3-2 with 2 saves and a 0.96 ERA (2 ER/18.2 IP) over 10 relief outings in May with Hickory, holding opponents to a .156 average with 4 walks and 15 strikeouts. Among qualifying South Atlantic League relievers, Mendez has allowed the 5th-fewest baserunners per 9 innings (8.29) this season. Mendez was the Rangers' 40th round pick in 2013.
 
HERNANDEZ TO MAKE DOUBLE-A DEBUT TONIGHT: The club's May Minor League Pitcher of the Month, RHP Jonathan Hernandez has been promoted from High-A Down East to Frisco today. Hernandez is the scheduled starter for tonight's RoughRiders game against Midland, making his Double-A debut. He posted a 4-2 record with a 2.20 ERA (14 ER/57.1 IP) in 10 games/starts with the Wood Ducks this season, holding opponents to a league-low .184 batting average with 17 walks and 77 strikeouts. Hernandez ranks among Carolina League leaders in WHIP (1st, 0.94), strikeouts per 9 (1st, 12.09), baserunners per 9 (1st, 8.63), strikeouts (2nd), and ERA (5th).