Rangers activate OF Willie Calhoun from 10-day injured list; recall RHP Demarcus Evans from alternate training site

Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced the following roster moves ahead of the club’s nine-game road trip, which begins Tuesday night in Houston.

· Outfielder Willie Calhoun activated from 10-day injured list.

· Right-handed pitcher Demarcus Evans (#67) recalled from the Alternate Training Site.

· Right-handed pitcher Luis García designated for assignment.

· Outfielder Scott Heineman optioned to Alternate Training Site following Sunday’s game.

· INF Andrew Romine signed to minor league contract, added to 60-man player pool and assigned to Alternate Training Site

Calhoun was on the 10-day injured list from August 20-September 13 with a left hamstring strain. He has been on a progressive rehabilitation program over the past few weeks. Calhoun sustained the injury on his go-ahead RBI infield single in the top of the 10th inning on August 19 at San Diego, his last game appearance with the Rangers. The outfielder has batted .172 with 8 RBI in 18 games for the Rangers this season.

Evans, 23, will be seeking his Major League debut during the upcoming road trip. He has spent the season at the Alternate Training Site, where he was assigned on July 19 near the end of Summer Camp. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Evans worked 5.1 scoreless innings in 6 ‘A’ games during the original Spring Training, his first time in Major League camp. He also pitched in 4 intrasquad games during Summer Camp, allowing 2 runs in 3.0 innings.

The Mississippi native has gone 13-11 with a 2.53 ERA and 21 saves in 125 games/26 starts over five minor league seasons since he was selected by Texas in the 25th round of the 2015 June draft. He has worked exclusively in relief since the start of 2018 and was honored as the organization’s Minor League Reliever of the Year each of the last two seasons, topping out at Double-A Frisco last year. The right-hander has averaged 13.7 strikeouts per 9 innings in his career while holding opponents to a .173 batting average.

García went 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA (7 ER/8.1 IP) in 11 games/2 starts for Texas after his contract was selected from the Alternate Training Site on August 18. A non-roster invitee to Rangers Spring Training, Garcia was originally assigned to the Alternate Site on July 19 and remained there until his promotion.

Heineman was recalled for Sunday’s contest vs. Oakland when catcher Jose Trevino was placed on the 10-day injured list, but did not appear in the game. The outfielder has batted .154 with one home run and 7 RBI over 24 games spanning two stints with Texas this season: Opening Day-September 9 and September 13.

Romine, 34, was released by the Chicago White Sox on July 23 after he did not make that club’s Opening Day roster. The switch-hitter had originally signed a minor league contract with the White Sox in February and batted .150 (3-20) with no home runs and 2 RBI in 14 Spring Training games this season. The nine-year MLB veteran has a career .235 batting average over 581 games with Los Angeles-AL (2010-13), Detroit (2015-17) and Seattle (2018), appearing at all nine positions and making starts at every position except pitcher and catcher.