The Texas Rangers have placed starting 3B Hank Blalock on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder. Blalock has played in 31 games for the Rangers this season and he is 33 for 121 (.273 avg, .769 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 4 homers and 15 RBIs. Ramon Vazquez will likely start at 3B while Blalock is out. He has played in 72 games for the Rangers this season and he is 68 for 220 (.309 avg, .848 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 5 homers and 31 RBIs. 27-year old righty swinging infielder Ryan Roberts has been brought up from AAA to replace Blalock on the active roster. Roberts has played in 102 games in AAA ball this season and he is 97 for 341 (.284 avg, .838 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 8 homers, 50 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Roberts won’t likely get much playing time unless another infielder goes down to injury for the Rangers.

The Rangers have some key pieces that they could move to acquire some pitching help. A lot of teams have been calling the Rangers about Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia so they will likely move one of them before Thursday. The Rangers would require a pitcher to use on the major league staff from the day he arrived in Texas and a little bit more. Marlon Byrd and Frank Catalanotto would be nice upgrades for the Mets in the outfield but the Mets would likely have to give the Rangers an arm like Joe Smith to get them. Hank Blalock is also a very good piece for a contending team like the Twins who have a need at 3B. Blalock will likely bring the biggest return of any of the players mentioned in this article as the Rangers’ would net at least 1 top prospect for him and maybe more.

The Rangers have placed righty starting pitcher Kevin Millwood on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right groin. Millwood has started 20 games for the Rangers this season and he is 6-6 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. Millwood’s injury will keep Scott Feldman in the rotation a little while longer and that’s a good thing as he has outpitched Millwood this season anyway. Feldman has pitched in 17 games (15 starts) for the Rangers this season and he is 4-3 with a 4.80 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP.

Lefty starting pitcher Kason Gabbard is likely out for the season due to a bone spur in his left elbow. Gabbard has started 12 games for the Rangers this season and he was 2-3 with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP. Gabbard wasn’t that effective this season but the Rangers could probably use him as they have had a lot if injury issues in the starting rotation. Gabbard walked 39 batters and allowed 64 hits in 56 innings for the Rangers so he will have a lot to work on in the off season.

24-year old righty swinging Taylor Teagarden was the Rangers’ #4 prospect coming into this season according to Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook. But, he has been passed up by Max Ramirez who was brought up from below Teagarden in the minors to replace the injured Gerald Laird. Teagarden has played in 64 games in AA+AAA ball this season and he is 48 for 219 (.219 avg, .719 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 8 homers and 21 RBIs. He has really looked overmatched at the plate this season as he has whiffed 71 times this year. Teagarden better get his act together soon or he might fall too far behind the other catchers in the Rangers organization.