The Rangers announced they’ve selected a reliever Jesús Tinoco onto the major league roster. Outfielder Nick Solak has also been recalled from Triple-A Round Rock to take the two active roster spots created by September expansion. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, Texas transferred righty Josh Sborz from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list.
Tinoco signed a minor league deal with Texas over the offseason. The hard-throwing righty has spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A, although he did join the MLB club as a temporary replacement while they navigated some COVID-19 issues in June. He appeared in five games, working 5 2/3 innings of three-run ball while averaging 96.4 MPH on his fastball, before heading back to Round Rock. That brief showing marked his fourth consecutive year logging some MLB action. Previously a Rockie and Marlin, Tinoco owns a 4.88 ERA over 51 2/3 career innings.
The 27-year-old has yet to establish himself in a big league bullpen, but he’s had a strong 2022 campaign in the minors. Through 44 Triple-A frames, he owns a 3.27 ERA in a hitter-friendly league. He’s backed up that run prevention with an above-average 28.5% strikeout rate and an elite 58.7% ground-ball percentage. Tinoco will now get another opportunity to try to carry that over against big league hitters as he looks to stake a claim to a spot in next year’s bullpen. He’s out of minor league option years, however, so the Rangers have to keep him in the majors or expose him to waivers now that he’s earned a 40-man spot.
Solak has bounced on and off the MLB roster on a couple occasions this year. A former well-regarded hitting prospect, he hasn’t managed to find much in the way of consistent success against big league arms. Since a strong 2019 rookie season in limited action, Solak has posted below-average numbers at the plate. He’s also fallen down the defensive spectrum, moving to the corner outfield after struggling as a second baseman. Those issues on both sides of the ball have kept the 27-year-old primarily in Triple-A this season, but he’s responded to the demotion well to earn another look. Through 259 plate appearances with the Express, Solak is hitting .278/.371/.489 with ten home runs and a robust 11.6% walk rate.
Sborz just landed on the IL a couple days ago with an elbow sprain. He’s now officially shut down for the season. He’ll finish the campaign with a 6.45 ERA over 22 1/3 innings of relief, although he did strike out an excellent 32% of batters faced.
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