Rangers activate C Jonah Heim, recall RHP Yerry Rodríguez, option C Sam Huff and RHP Cole Winn to Triple-A Round Rock

By | June 18, 2024

Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced the following roster moves prior to Tuesday night’s game against the New York Mets at Globe Life Field:

The 28-year-old Heim – who missed the Rangers’ last three games while on the Paternity Leave List – has posted a .234/.278/.342/.621 (52-222) slash line with 6 home runs, 6 doubles, and 31 RBI in 61 games for Texas this season while serving as the Rangers’ primary backstop. His team-leading 53 starts behind the plate in 2024 rank T4th in the American League, as Texas has gone 29-24 in those games. Heim ranks among American League leaders as a catcher in hits (3rd, 49), RBI (T4th, 30), total bases (6th, 73), and home runs (T6th, 6).

The switch hitter’s 121 RBI as a backstop since 2023 lead all of MLB in that span, while his 200 career RBI as the Rangers catcher are 3rd-most in club history (since 1972) to only Ivan Rodriguez (815) and Jim Sundberg (476). Heim owns a career .232/.289/.390/.679 (322-1388) slash line with 50 home runs, one triple, 67 doubles, and 211 RBI across five Major League seasons with Oakland (2020) and Texas (2021-24).

The 26-year-old Rodríguez will be in his third stint with Texas this season, as he has a 1-0 record and 6.88 ERA (13 ER/17.0 IP) with 11 walks/12 strikeouts in 12 relief appearances spanning his previous two stints: Opening Day-April 14 and May 3-27. Rodríguez has spent the balance of the year at Triple-A Round Rock, going 1-3 with one save and a 4.85 ERA (7 ER/13.0 IP), posting 9 walks against 21 strikeouts over 10 relief outings.

He last pitched on Friday vs. Tacoma, taking the loss in the Express' 6-5, 10-inning defeat: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R-0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 16 pitches/10 strikes). His last outing with Texas was on May 22 at Philadelphia (1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R-ER).

Huff, 26, logged two games (one start) after being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock last Saturday, appearing as a pinch runner on Saturday at Seattle and serving as Texas’ starting catcher in last night’s game against the Mets. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts last night, signifying his first plate appearances of the season for Texas.

Winn, 24, has gone 0-1 with a 7.79 ERA (15 ER/17.1 IP) in 13 relief appearances spanning two separate stints with Texas this season: April 14-May 21 and June 16-17. He most recently appeared in last night’s game against the New York Mets, allowing 2 runs (earned) on 4 hits over a season-high-tying 2.0 innings.

With today’s transactions, Texas has 39 players on its 40-man roster, along with eight players on the 60-day Injured List: Cody Bradford, Carson Coleman, Jacob deGrom, Justin Foscue, Josh Jung, Tyler Mahle, Austin Pruitt, Max Scherzer.

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