Lincecum ready to begin rehab assignment

ARLINGTON -- Second baseman Rougned Odor began a rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Frisco on Saturday night, and right-hander Tim Lincecum will begin a rehab assignment of his own Monday.
Lincecum, who started the season on the disabled list, threw 26 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday and came out of it with no issues. The Rangers announced afterward that he will start a rehab assignment on Monday with Triple-A Round Rock.
Lincecum has yet to pitch in a game since signing with the Rangers on March 7. He was getting close at the end of Spring Training before developing a blister on his right middle finger. That put him on the disabled list, and the Rangers eventually transferred him to the 60-day DL. He is eligible to come off it on May 28.
The Rangers shouldn't have to wait that long for Odor, who has been sidelined since April 9 due to a strained left hamstring. He began his rehab assignment by serving as a designated hitter Saturday, going 0-for-3 walk with a walk in Frisco, and could be within a week of returning.
"If all goes well, we'll start the process of getting him on the field, whether it's Sunday or Monday," Banister said. "Play up to five innings, seven innings the first night, see how it goes, see how he feels coming out of that. Then we'll progress to the next stage. At some point, we'll make a decision if he needs to go a complete nine or back-to-back games."
Adrián Beltré, who is on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, has been taking batting practice and fielding ground balls. He is not ready for game action, but when he is, it won't be in the Minor Leagues.
"I don't think Adrian has been on a rehab assignment since I have been here," Banister said. "I think he's pretty practiced at swinging the bat."
Triple Play auction announced

The Rangers have announced the live auction items that will be available at the annual Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation's fundraiser, which will be held on Wednesday evening, May 9, at the Hilton Anatole Dallas. Tables or individual tickets can still be reserved by going to texasrangers.com/tripleplay.
The theme for the 2018 event is "Sultan's Soiree," and the list of live auction items will include:
• Trip to Los Angeles to watch the Rangers play the Dodgers with Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 12 and 13. Package includes transportation to Los Angeles on the Rangers' team plane and on-field access for batting practice at Dodger Stadium, as well as golf, lunch and dinner experiences with Pudge.
• Trip to Boston for the Rangers-Red Sox series at Fenway Park on July 9, 10 and 11. Package includes lunch with Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley and a behind-the-scenes tour of historic Fenway Park.
• Trip to San Francisco and Napa Valley with Pudge. Package includes transportation on a private jet, tickets to the Rangers-Giants series on Aug. 24, 25 and 26, and a day in wine country that includes lunch at the winery of Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
• Five-day hunting and fishing trip to Argentina, hosted by former Rangers All-Star Jim Kern. Package includes airfare, three days of dove hunting and two days of fishing, and spectacular accommodations at the beautiful Estancia Santa Rosa.
• In addition, the silent auction will feature: a Top Golf experience with Delino DeShields; on-field instruction and game-type experience hosted by Jeff Banister; private hitting and pitching lessons with current Rangers players; and many other exclusive Rangers experiences.
Triple Play features attendance by the Rangers, with players competing against each other in a pair of game shows. This year's competitions will be the annual fan favorite "Fielders Feud" and the return of "Wheel of Fortune."
Rangers beat
• Angels first baseman Albert Pujols has 3,001 career hits, but only eight of them have come off Rangers pitcher Bartolo Colon. Pujols broke into the Majors in 2001 but has just 25 at-bats off Colon over the past 18 years. They are still two of the best to ever come from the Dominican Republic, and Colon was thrilled to see Pujols get hit No. 3,000 on Friday night.
"I saw it on my phone here," Colon said. "I am proud of him, happy for him, my countryman Dominican. He deserves it."

• Catcher Carlos Pérez also had reason to celebrate Pujols' accomplishment, having been his teammate in Anaheim for three seasons.
"He is a great guy, great teammate and great player," Perez said. "When I got called up to the Angels, he was one of the guys who helped me a lot, especially in hitting. He taught me a lot."
• Doug Fister pitches against the Red Sox on Sunday, the team he was with in 2017.
"It's always a big deal, no matter who is on the other side," Fister said. "Big league ballclubs -- good, bad or indifferent -- they are going out there to beat you up. I have to be on the attack. I don't treat it more lightly or heavier than any other game."
• On Saturday, the Rangers welcomed Hailey Dawson to Globe Life Park to throw out a first pitch. The 8-year-old was born with Poland Syndrome, causing her to be missing three fingers on her throwing hand. Dawson wears a 3D printed hand and is on a mission to throw out a first pitch at all 30 Major League ballparks.