Rangers place catcher Perez on DL, recall Rua
Shortstop Andrus expected to be activated from DL on Monday
ARLINGTON -- The Rangers have placed catcher Carlos Perez on the disabled list with a sprained right ankle and called up outfielder Ryan Rua from Triple-A Round Rock. Rua's promotion may be temporary because the Rangers are expected to activate shortstop Elvis Andrus off the disabled list on Monday.
With Perez out, rookie Jose Trevino made his first Major League start on Saturday. Catcher Robinson Chirinos was back after serving a one-game suspension but is still feeling the after-effects of Wednesday's collision at home plate with Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp.
"He got banged up in the collision and is still pretty sore," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
The Rangers also have Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who can catch. Right now, he is serving as the Rangers' utility infielder and started at third base on Saturday with Adrian Beltre serving as the designated hitter. But he has played in 69 games as a catcher in the Minor Leagues and the Rangers used him there in Spring Training. Banister said the Rangers have talked about using him at catcher while he is in the big leagues.
"We'd like to see him behind the plate," Banister said. "We like what we saw in Spring Training. He's got the athleticism and the skill-set to do it."
When Andrus returns, Jurickson Profar will shift back to utility infielder, leaving the Rangers trying to find ways to get Kiner-Falefa in the lineup. The other alternative would be to send him back to Triple-A Round Rock to play every day.
Andrus was transferred to Round Rock on Saturday to continue his rehab assignment. He was 1-for-18 with a walk in five games at Double-A Frisco.
"More important is for Elvis to get his body in shape to play nine innings," Banister said. "You'd like to have some feel-good with the [bat] and have confidence coming back, but I've got to believe he is a confident guy."
Mazara sits again
Outfielder Nomar Mazara was out of the lineup for the second straight game with a sore left wrist. Mazara said the wrist has been bothering him for a couple of weeks but really flared up on Friday.
"I have been playing through it and taking stuff for it," Mazara said. "Yesterday I took two or three swings in the cage and it was painful. I couldn't swing. Today it's a lot better. It still hurts, but it's a lot better."
Mazara has played in 10 games in June and is hitting .158 with one home run, five RBIs and a .316 slugging percentage.
Rangers celebrate Father's Day
The Rangers will do their part with Major League Baseball to raise awareness about prostate cancer and raise funds for research to fight the disease on Father's Day 2018.
During Father's Day games, players and on-field personnel will wear the symbolic blue ribbon on their uniforms along with blue wristbands. Also, for the third consecutive year, players will wear specially-designed caps to raise awareness and funds for the fight against prostate cancer. The caps are light blue with a team color brim. Players also have the option to wear multi-pattern blue-dyed socks, as well as a lightweight, hooded fleece with the MLB-silhouetted-batter-stamped prostate cancer awareness ribbon during batting practice and on the bench.
MLB will again donate all royalty payments from the sales of specialty caps and apparel to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer. Commemorative base jewels and dugout lineup cards also will be blue. In addition, the following game equipment can be used for prostate cancer awareness throughout Father's Day Weekend: Light blue compression sleeves, light blue batting gloves, light blue footwear, light blue wrist/elbow/leg guards and catcher's equipment.
Rangers beat
• Left-handed pitcher Martin Perez, on the disabled list with nerve inflammation in his right arm, threw 75 pitches of live batting practice on Friday and had no issues the day after. Perez said he is hoping that he can throw one more live batting practice and then go on a medical rehabilitation assignment.
• The Rangers have signed seven more Draft picks: Right-handed pitcher Leury Tejada (10th round), left-handed pitcher Destin Dotson (12th), right-hander Theo McDowell (14th), right-hander Nicolas Laio (20th), left-hander Joshua Smith (25th), outfielder Ryan Anderson (31st) and right-hander Reggie Meyer (38th). The Rangers have signed 26 of 40 Draft picks.
• Trevino made his Major League debut when he replaced Perez on Friday night. He is the sixth Ranger to make his Major League debut this season along with Kiner-Falefa, first baseman Ronald Guzman, outfielder Carlos Tocci and pitchers Brandon Mann and Ariel Jurado.