ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Veteran first baseman Rowdy Tellez took part in a workout with the Texas Rangers on Thursday, with the anticipation that he will be added to their roster before the first game after the All-Star break.
Tellez signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on July 5, a week after being released by Seattle. He had been designated for assignment after he hit .208 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in 62 games with the Mariners.
The Rangers (48-49) open a three-game series at home Friday night against Detroit (59-38), which has the best record in the majors despite a four-game losing streak. Texas has an open spot on its 26-man active roster, and also an open spot on its 40-man roster.
Texas first baseman Jake Burger (left quad strain) was put on the 10-day injured list for the second time this season on Wednesday. That move was retroactive to Sunday, after he had played only 10 games since missing 10 games during his previous IL stint from June 21 until July 2 because of a left oblique strain.
There was no corresponding move by the Rangers when they put Burger on the IL. They did make two moves Thursday, when infielder Justin Foscue was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock and infielder/outfielder Michael Helman was optioned to the minor league team.
The 30-year-old Tellez has a .232 average with 116 homers and 346 RBIs with four teams since his big league debut with Toronto in 2018. He has played for Milwaukee and Pittsburgh before signing with the Mariners as a free agent in February.
Texas got Burger in a trade from Miami in December. After he hit .190 with three homers and a team-high 32 strikeouts in 100 at-bats his first 30 games, the Rangers sent him briefly to Triple-A Round Rock. In 45 games since returning to the majors, he hit .250 with eight homers and 23 RBIs. He is hitting .228 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 75 games.
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