ARLINGTON -- The Rangers have called up rookie left-hander Yohander Mendez and optioned right-hander Nick Gardewine to Triple-A Round Rock.
The Rangers made the move on Thursday after Gardewine was needed for two innings and 34 pitches in Texas' 12-4 loss to the Indians on Wednesday afternoon. Mendez was being used as a starter at Round Rock, but the Rangers needed somebody in the bullpen who could pitch multiple innings if needed.
"After using Gardewine yesterday, we felt like we needed some length," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
Mendez, who is ranked the Rangers' No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was 0-3 with a 6.66 ERA in five starts at Round Rock. He last pitched on Saturday, allowing five runs on five hits and six walks over 3 1/3 innings. In his previous outing, he allowed just one run on five hits in six innings, did not walk a batter and struck out five.
Mendez has a plus changeup and an improved breaking ball, but the Rangers are still trying to get him to hone his fastball command. That remains the biggest issue in his development.
"I've made an adjustment in my mechanics," Mendez said. "I used to be too quick, but now I have a little slower pace and it has been better."
Beltre, Odor progress
Infielders Rougned Odor and Adrian Beltre were on the field early Thursday afternoon to take ground balls and batting practice. Both are on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring and Odor is farther along than Beltre.
Banister said Odor could be close to going on a medical rehab assignment either this weekend or early next week.
"We'll see how he recovers from this," Banister said.
Odor went on the disabled list April 10 while Beltre has been down since April 25. He has only begun light jogging on his leg and is still going to be out for an extended period of time.
"He is progressing," Banister said. "For him to do some light jogging, take ground balls and take batting practice is a good sign."
Rangers beat
• Reliever Chris Martin, who was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with tightness in his right forearm, said he is hoping to start throwing again on Friday. He felt the tightness during Monday's outing against the Indians when he allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning.
"There's no pain, we're just being cautious," Martin said. "I tried to get through it knowing the situation we are in, but it got to the point where I couldn't pitch, so what good was I doing?"
• Reliever Jake Diekman said he should be good to go after getting hit in the back by a line drive off the bat of Edwin Encarnacion in the eighth inning on Tuesday. The shot caught Diekman more in the triceps than the back. He threw out Encarnacion at first, walked one more batter and then came out of the game.

"It was 112 miles per hour [coming off the bat], not a pretty sight," Banister said.
• Left-handed hitters Nomar Mazara and Joey Gallo started against left-hander David Price on Thursday but Ronald Guzman did not. Guzman has just three at-bats against left-handed pitching since being called up on April 13. Banister said the Rangers are easing Guzman into left-handers just as they did with Mazara and Gallo early in their careers.