ARLINGTON, Texas — Veteran first baseman Rowdy Tellez was added to the Texas Rangers roster and was in the lineup Friday night for their first game after the All-Star break.
There was no corresponding move necessary before their game against Detroit because the Rangers had an open spot on their 26-man active roster and their 40-man roster. First baseman Jake Burger was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday because of a left quad strain.
The Rangers also put outfielder Sam Haggerty on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Tuesday, with left ankle inflammation. They selected Cody Freeman, a fourth-round draft pick in 2019, from triple-A Round Rock, and he was looking to make his big league debut. He was hitting .315 with 12 homers in the minors.
Texas is the fifth big league team for the 30-year-old Tellez. He signed with Seattle as a free agent in February, then hit .208 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in 62 games before being designated for assignment and then released by the Mariners. He signed a minor league deal with Texas on July 5 and had been at Round Rock.
“They called me up, and try to make an impact in a positive way,” Tellez said.
Tellez has a .232 average with 116 homers and 346 RBIs since his big league debut with Toronto in 2018. He has also played for Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.
Burger, acquired in a trade from Miami in December, has hit .228 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 75 games. He is on the IL for the second time this season.
