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The Rangers lost two starters, and maybe for a considerable time, on Wednesday. First, Derek Holland landed on the disabled list with inflammation in his throwing shoulder — that might explain why he’s having an underwhelming season, but a shoulder injury is also potentially bad news when it comes to the rest of 2016. Then, just a few hours later, the Rangers announced that Colby Lewis — who was leading the team in innings and was second in ERA — will be out for two months with a lat strain. Cole Hamels and Martin Perez are still around, but this is bad news for a rotation that was already missing Yu Darvish.
A.J. Griffin is also on the disabled list, but should be activated on Saturday to rejoin the rotation. Griffin’s 2016 started out well enough, but he’s also a guy who has real issues with injuries and homers over his major-league career, so what exactly he can be for Texas is up in the air. Simply being present might be enough for now, given the injuries elsewhere, and the Rangers do have a 10-game cushion in the AL West right now, so at least they can put up with these injuries for a little while given that.
Cesar Ramos and Nick Martinez are other options for now, options the Rangers should probably upgrade on. Darvish might not be too far from a return, as he could throw a bullpen session on Saturday, but the Rangers kind of need for that to go well and for him to get back. 10-game cushion or no, things can fall apart in a hurry, especially when the rotation was what helped get the Rangers here in the first place.
- The Dodgers won on everyone’s favorite baseball player: a Little League homer.
- Before that, Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Utley combined to make a ridiculous catch on a foul ball.
- A’s starter Daniel Mengden chose baseball over the family business: ballet. All three of Mengden’s siblings are poised for professional ballet careers.
- Noah Syndergaard exited Wednesday’s Mets game with a flare-up in his elbow, but a later scan showed no structural damage.
- Mets fans want to be proud of the team they’re rooting for, and New York should be mindful of that while they sit here leaking rumors of interest in their former shortstop Jose Reyes, who was arrested and suspended for grabbing his wife by the neck in a hotel room in Hawaii before slamming her into a glass sliding door.
- Arizona eliminated UC Santa Barbara from the College World Series.
- Do you want to see a Pierogi mascot clotheslined by Big Poppa Pump? It won’t take Steiner Math to figure out the answer to that question.
- Alcides Escobar might be playing himself out of the 2017 Royals lineup, as they have an option on their shortstop for next season.
- The Indians finished off a record June at home with a win on Wednesday, as they went a perfect 11-0 at Progressive Field.