Rangers recall OF Zack Granite from Nashville, option LHP Kyle Bird to Nashville

Seattle, Wash. -- The Texas Rangers announced prior to today’s game that the club has recalled outfielder Zack Granite (#66) from Triple-A Nashville. To make room on the active roster for Granite, the team has optioned left-handed pitcher Kyle Bird to Nashville.

Granite will be in uniform for today’s road trip finale in Seattle, and he will be seeking his Rangers debut. He has spent the entire season at Nashville, batting .289/.327/.360/.687 (57-197) with one home run and 15 RBI over 49 games for the Sounds, ranking among Pacific Coast League leaders in stolen bases (5th, 12) and hits (T6th, 57). The left-handed batter and thrower has made 41 starts in the outfield, with starting action in left field (16), right field (14), and center field (11). Granite has batted .337 (31-92) with 5 walks and just 6 strikeouts over his last 20 games beginning May 7.

Granite was acquired by Texas in a March 3 trade with the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Xavier Moore and cash considerations, and he batted .240 (6-25) in 12 Spring Training games with the Rangers. He had been designated for assignment by the Twins on February 26 when the club officially signed infielder Marwin Gonzalez. Granite saw his only Major League action with the Twins in 2017, when he batted .237 over 40 games. His last MLB contest was the 2017 American League Wild Card Game for the Twins at New York-AL, when he went 1-for-2 as a reserve in Minnesota’s 8-4 defeat. Primarily a centerfielder in his pro career, Granite owns a career minors slash line of .283/.346/.360/.706 over 529 games since being selected in the 14th round of the 2013 June draft out of Seton Hall University.

Bird was recalled on Monday and finished that night’s loss in Seattle (1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R-ER, 3 BB, 2 SO). He has no record, one save, and a 6.75 ERA (5 ER/6.2 IP) over three stints with the Rangers this season (Opening Day-March 31, April 5-17, May 27-28) in his first career Major League action.

Following today’s transactions, the Rangers still have 39 players on the club’s major league roster, along with four players on the 60-day injured list: RHP Luke Farrell, OF Scott Heineman, LHP Yohander Méndez, and RHP Edinson Vólquez.