Texas Rangers make roster moves

Arlington, TX - The Texas Rangers today announced that catcher Geovany Soto has been activated from the 60-day disabled list and the contract of catcher-first baseman J.P. Arencibia has been purchased from Triple-A Round Rock of the Pacific Coast League.

To make room on the 25-man and 40-man rosters, first baseman Carlos Pena has been designated for assignment. The other roster spot was created with the trade of right-handed pitcher Jason Frasor to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Soto and Arencibia will be in uniform when the Rangers open a three-game series in Toronto on Friday night.

Soto returns after missing the entire 2014 season. He sustained torn lateral meniscus cartilage in his right knee during a spring training game on March 23 and had surgery on March 26. Soto appeared in 12 games on rehab assignment, going 0-for-16 in 6 games (3 at C; 3 at DH) for Round Rock, July 4-9, and hitting .368 (7-19) with one RBI in 6 games (4 at C; 2 at DH) for Double-A Frisco (AA), July 10-15. He appeared in just 6 spring training games, missing 3 weeks after undergoing surgery to remove the os trigonum bone from his left ankle on February 22 and last played in a major league regular season game on Sept. 29, 2013 vs. the Angels. Soto hit .245 with 9 HR and 22 RBI in 54 games with Texas in 2013, starting 49 games behind the plate.

Arencibia is making his second stint with Texas this season after batting .279 (53-190) with 14 HR and 41 RBI in 48 games with Round Rock. He started 23 games at catcher, 20 games at first base, and 8 games as the DH with 8 of his last 11 starts coming at 1B. That was his 1st pro action ever at 1B. Arencibia opened the season with the Rangers, hitting .133 (8-60) with 1 HR and 6 RBI in 20 games, 19 starts at catcher, before being optioned to Round Rock on May 20 and assigned outright to the Express on May 21. He was signed as a free agent by Texas in December 2013 after playing with Toronto from 2010-13, batting .212 with 64 HR and 193 RBI in 380 total games.

Pena hit .136 with one homer and 2 RBI in 18 games with the Rangers, including 16 starts at first base, after being purchased from Round Rock on June 24. Texas has 10 days to trade, release, or outright Pena to the minor leagues.

With today's moves, the Rangers' major league roster is at 40 players.