It was in the middle of May that speedy Rangers outfielder Julio Borbon sustained a hamstring injury that sent him to the disabled list. He wasn't expected to be out for long, and earlier this week he began a rehab assignment, meaning he wasn't far from being ready. Sure enough, on Friday Borbon was activated from the DL.
But his activation comes with an interesting twist. Via Jeff Wilson:
Julio Borbon has been reinstated from the DL and optioned to Round Rock.
So Borbon is back ... but he's back in AAA. The reason? The Rangers love what they've gotten from veteran Endy Chavez. Chavez has hit 45 times since taking Borbon's place on the roster, and over those 45 plate appearances, he's batted .415 with a remarkable (for him) six extra-base hits. Given Chavez's defense and his hot batting streak, the Rangers just can't make a switch.
Ultimately, Chavez will slow down. He has an entire career showing what he really is, and this isn't it. At that point, the inconsistent but talented Borbon will probably make his way back to the Majors. But for now, all aboard the Endy Chavez Express. Considering what Chavez has been through, this is a pretty neat story, even if the climax proves brief.