The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has received INF-OF Renato Nunez on a waiver claim from the Oakland A's.
To make room for Nunez on the 40-man roster, RHP Tim Lincecum has been transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day disabled list. Texas will make a corresponding 25-man roster move when Nunez joins the team on Monday in St. Petersburg where the Rangers open a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Nunez, 24, opened the 2018 season on Oakland's disabled list with a strained left hamstring sustained early in spring training. He was sent to Triple-A Nashville on rehab assignment on April 5 and was hitting .360 (9-25) with 2 RBI in 6 games with the Sounds.
The right-handed batter hit .249 with 32 homers and 78 RBI in 126 games at Nashville in 2017, making starts in LF (47), 3B (41), 1B (4), and 2B (2), and as the DH. He ranked second in the Pacific Coast League in home runs. Nunez was recalled by the A's on September 5 and went 3-for-15 with a homer and 3 RBI in 8 games.
This is Nunez's 8th professional season, all in the Oakland system. He has hit at least 18 homers in each of his last 5 minor league campaigns with 130 career long balls. Overall, he is 5-for-30 with one homer and 4 RBI in 17 games with Oakland in 2016-17.
Lincecum was signed as a Major League free agent to a one-year contract on March 7, 2018. He opened the season on the 10-day DL due to a blister on his right middle finger.
With today's moves, the Rangers Major League roster remains at 40 players with 5 players on the 60-day DL.