Santana (cramp) OK after injury scare

Rangers adjust pitching plan; Allen on bullpen battle; Tejeda notches hit

February 22nd, 2020

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers survived their first injury scare of the spring.

Outfielder was feeling much better on Saturday after coming out of Friday’s 5-4 win over the Royals with tightness in his left calf. Santana felt it trying to run to first base on a first-inning ground ball.

“It’s just a cramp,” Santana said.

Santana was not scheduled to play on Saturday, even before the game against the Brewers was rained out. Manager Chris Woodward said he’ll give Santana another day off on Sunday and then put him in the lineup on Monday against the Reds.

“He is pretty much doing everything,” Woodward said. “We are probably going to give him off tomorrow, but as of right now, everything seems normal. He is jumping around and passing all the tests.”

Santana is the leading candidate to be the Rangers' starting center fielder unless Woodward prefers him in a utility role. Infielder Nick Solak is going to be used in center early in Cactus League games to see how well he adapts to the position.

Rangers rainout backs up pitching plan
The Rangers' game with the Brewers on Saturday was cancelled due to rain sweeping through the Phoenix area. That forced pitching coach Julio Rangel to revise his plans for what will be a long Sunday.

The Rangers are scheduled to play a "B" game against the Royals at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday on the Nolan Ryan Field behind the main stadium in Surprise. Texas' scheduled pitchers are Tyler Phillips, Jason Bahr, Taylor Guerrieri, Ian Gibaut, Jimmy Herget and Derek Law.

Seven pitchers will throw live batting practice: Kyle Gibson, Ariel Jurado, Jordan Lyles, Lance Lynn, Rafael Montero, Juan Nicasio and Edinson Vólquez. Joe Palumbo is starting the 2:10 p.m. CT Cactus League game against the Mariners and will be followed by Brett Martin, Nick Goody, Jonathan Hernández, Joely Rodriguez, Brian Flynn, Demarcus Evans and Tim Dillard.

He said it
“Yeah, there are a lot of good arms that are competing for just a couple of spots. I haven’t been in this spot in awhile, but I don’t think you can get caught up in what the other guys are doing. You have to stay focused on what you are doing. At the end of camp, you just have to see where you stand.” -- Cody Allen, on the number of pitchers trying to win a bullpen spot

Rangers beat
• Tallest pitcher in camp? Left-hander Brian Flynn stands 6-foot-8, according to the Rangers' media guide. He edges out Kyle Cody, who is 6-foot-7. The Rangers have three more at 6-foot-6: Farrell, Gibson and Taylor Hearn.

The Rangers have just one pitcher under 6-foot. Reliever Nick Goody is listed at 5-foot-11. He was an infielder in high school.

• Infielder Anderson Tejeda had a single in his only at-bat during the Rangers' win over the Royals on Friday. It was a big moment for him. Anderson missed three months at the end of the 2019 season at Class A Advanced Down East with a left shoulder subluxation. The Rangers still put him on the 40-man roster this winter, and he is at full strength this spring. He is the No. 11 prospect in the Rangers' farm system, according to MLB Pipeline.