With just two weeks remaining until Opening Day, it would be an understatement to say the Texas Rangers bullpen is in state of flux.
“I think we have a fairly good sense of the direction for the backend of the bullpen,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said.
But getting to closer Neftali Feliz and set-up man Tanner Scheppers could be tricky for Texas if the spring numbers are any indication. Right-hander Shawn Tolleson, who is the only other relief lock, was scratched from his outing Sunday because of forearm soreness. Tolleson wanted to pitch and was slated to throw in back-to-back games for the first time this spring, but that’s on hold.
Even Feliz and Scheppers haven’t been in top form. The Feliz fastball topped out at 92 mph Sunday against Seattle as his velocity has been inconsistent. Scheppers has only pitched in one ‘A’ game because of an ankle issue.
The battle for the lefty reliever in the bullpen hasn’t materialized. Veteran Joe Beimel, who signed early in camp, has a 33.00 ERA in four outings and was dropped from the 40-man roster Monday while Alex Claudio has shined with a 1.29 mark in seven appearances.
Dropping Beimel leaves Claudio as the only lefty reliever in camp. The club could use Ross Detwiler for that job but Detwiler seems a lock to break camp as the No. 4 starter.
Things aren’t much clearer from the right side either as veteran right-hander Jamey Wright, a long-man candidate, has an 11.57 ERA in his five outings.
The veteran struggles have opened the door for young right-handers like Roman Mendez, Phil Klein, Keone Kela and Jon Edwards. Each of the four has a spring ERA under 2.00, and Kela has yet to allow a run in his five appearances. That is also the case for veteran Kyuji Fujikawa, but the Rangers have been slow to bring him along as he has only made two ‘A’ game appearances for the Rangers.