The Rangers have released 33-year old righty reliever Geoff Geary. Geary pitched in 23 games (6 starts) in AAA-ball this year and he was 4-5 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. He gave up a stunning 83 hits in only 58 2/3 innings this season in the minors! The Rangers have so many good, young arms that it seemed like a waste of time keeping Geary around. This will allow him to try to find another job this year giving him a better chance to make it back to the majors.

The Rangers have placed backup catcher Matt Treanor on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right posterior cruciate ligament. Treanor has played in 64 games for the Rangers this year and he is 41 of 182 (.225 avg, .656 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 5 homers and 23 RBIs. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this but the Rangers will probably miss Treanor while he is out of action. That is because they have recalled 26-year old righty swinging Taylor Teagarden to backup Bengie Molina. Teagarden played in 10 games earlier this year for the Rangers and he was 1 of 27 (.037 avg, .225 OPS) with 3 runs scored. He also whiffed a stunning 17 times for the Rangers this year as his bat appeared to have a hole in it that pitchers continually found.

24-year old righty starting pitcher Tommy Hunter has come off the D.L. excelling for the Rangers. He has started 9 games for the Rangers this year and he is 7-0 with a 2.09 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Hunter has been attacking the strike zone with his solid array of stuff. With the Rangers’ pen and offense behind him I don’t see Hunter losing any time soon. Hunter has now started 31 games in his three years with the Rangers and he is 16-8 with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He has only walked 50 batters in 179 innings for the Rangers and that is pretty outstanding control. The sky is the limit for Tommy Hunter as long as he can stay healthy.

The Rangers have placed righty reliever/starter Dustin Nippert on the 15-day disabled list due to a mild head injury. Nippert was hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Tigers’ outfielder Austin Jackson. Nippert has pitched in 28 games (2 starts) for the Rangers this year and he is 3-4 with a 5.36 ERA and a 1.98 WHIP. The Rangers have called up 27-year old righty reliever Doug Mathis to replace Nippert in the pen. Mathis has pitched in 10 games (0 starts) for the Rangers this year and he is 1-1 with a 6.98 ERA and a 1.97 WHIP.

The Rangers have added Bengie Molina and Cliff Lee in solid trades the last couple of weeks but they still have one glaring hole and it’s at first base. With that in mind I would be placing a call to the D-Backs with the idea of going after Adam LaRoche. LaRoche is a notorious second half hitter and he would be a outstanding fit in the Rangers’ lineup. I would definitely being willing to deal Chris Davis, Pedro Strop and Taylor Teagarden to the D-Backs for LaRoche. Of course the D-Backs would also have to send cash to cover LaRoche’s paycheck which would be why I would include Davis in the deal. The D-Backs would make that deal in a heartbeat and it would make the offense even better for the Rangers going forward.