Calhoun, Ibanez to rehab with Round Rock

Willie Calhoun and Andy Ibanez are joining the Round Rock Express today on rehab assignments, the Rangers announced today. Calhoun, who has been out for two months with a broken arm, has been on a rehab assignment with the ACL squad for the past several days, and is now being assigned to Round Rock. Ibanez, who has been out with a left hamstring strain the past two weeks, is just beginning his rehab assignment.

Calhoun and Ibanez could be up later in the week, as could Brock Holt, which will present the Rangers will some decisions to make in regards to the active roster. The Rangers are only carrying 12 position players currently, along with 16 pitchers, so it is certainly possibly — likely, even — that a pitcher gets sent down for Calhoun or Ibanez. Jason Martin would also seem likely to be sent back down once a position player need to be activated and added to the roster.

After that, though, it isn’t entirely clear what the Rangers would do, should they decide to bring all three back this week. One can argue that, given there are three weeks left in the season and the Rangers need to be looking at young players, Holt or Charlie Culberson should be cut loose. I’m not sure if the Rangers would want to do that to one of the veterans, however. Yonny Hernandez and Yohel Pozo are the other options to be sent down to clear a roster spot, barring injury.

The Rangers also have pitchers Mike Foltynewicz and Drew Anderson on the COVID-19 injured list, and Anderson is also on a rehab assignment to Round Rock. I don’t know that the Rangers are going to necessarily add either back to the active roster this year.

Calhoun is currently on the 60 day injured list, though clearing a spot on the 40 man for him should be relatively easy, as Eli White, who has undergone elbow surgery, is out for the year and can be moved to the 60 day list.