Kyle Higashioka took the first step back on Friday, opening his injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock as the designated hitter.
That’s a fairly normal way to start for a position player coming back from time away, especially one who hasn’t been on the field in more than a month. Higashioka has been on the injured list since July 21 because of a right flexor strain. He hit second in the lineup and finished 1-for-5.
What comes next is where things get murkier. In most rehab assignments, a player shifts back to his defensive spot the following day or soon after. For Higashioka, that part remains very much up in the air.
The injury is the same one that sidelined former Rangers catcher Mitch Garver in 2022. Garver eventually came back after a stint on the injured list, but he could only hit because the pain in his arm kept him from throwing. He later had surgery that year, then returned in 2023 and was able to share catching duties with Jonah Heim during the World Series run.
If Higashioka can’t catch, the Rangers could end up with a crowded DH picture once he’s ready. Texas already has Danny Jansen and Elias Diaz handling the catching. At designated hitter, Joc Pederson is covering against right-handed pitching, while either Justin Foscue or Logan O’Hoppe is filling the spot against right-handers.
Whether three right-handed DH options is too many may not matter yet. Higashioka first has to prove he’s ready to return before the Rangers start making any calls.
Elsewhere in the organization, pitcher Caden Scarborough is going to be shut down for four-to-six weeks after suffering a right elbow strain while working out in the Rangers’ pitching lab at the team facility in Surprise, Ariz., according to MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry.
Scarborough is Texas’ No. 2 prospect behind only shortstop Sebastian Walcott, per MLB Pipeline. The injury timeline makes it unlikely he’ll be available for the Arizona Fall League, if the Rangers were thinking about using him on the Surprise Saguaros.
He spent most of this season at High-A Hub City and went 1-7 with a 5.16 ERA in 14 games, including two appearances in the Arizona Complex League. In 52.1 innings, he struck out 52 and walked 16. The Rangers drafted him in the sixth round in 2023 out of Harmony, Fla.
And then there’s Cal Quantrill, who may already be looking like one of Texas’ best offseason additions for 2026.
Quantrill got the win Thursday against Tampa Bay after holding the Rays to two hits over seven innings. It was another strong outing in a stretch that has been downright dominant since the Rangers lost Jack Leiter to ankle surgery.
Over his last eight games, including seven starts, Quantrill is 4-2 with a 1.25 ERA, giving up just six earned runs in 43.1 innings. His WHIP in that span sits at 0.762, and opposing hitters are batting only .169 against him.
Since July 28, among MLB qualifying pitchers, he leads in ERA, ranks second in opponent batting average, third in opponent OPS and fourth in WHIP.
His recent run has also produced a notable team first: after quality starts against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, he became the first Rangers pitcher in six years to put together back-to-back quality starts against teams leading their respective leagues. Lance Lynn was the last to do it, back in 2020.
In Other News...
Rangers Fixed One Streaming Mess But Another May Be Coming
The Rangers already solved one streaming headache by shifting their local service from Victory+ to BZZR after concerns surfaced about Victory+s financial footing. That concern turned out to be justified when Victory+ shut down, leaving Texas with a new platform in place and at least some short-term stability for fans trying to follow the club without the traditional TV route.
BZZR is only locked in through the end of the season, though, and the bigger question is what comes next. The Rangers have options on the table, including Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and MLB.TV, but none has been finalized, and the team is still sitting on an estimated $30 million it is owed by Victory+ with little realistic chance of getting it back. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Could Face A Costly New Threat In The AL West
Arte Morenos agreement to sell a controlling interest in the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke adds another layer of intrigue to a division that already has plenty of it for the Rangers. Morenos tenure was defined by big-name talent and little October payoff, with the Angels routinely falling short of the postseason even with stars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the mix. For Texas, the move matters because it could reshape the balance of power in the AL West if Kroenke brings a different level of stability, spending appetite or organizational muscle to Anaheim.
The Rangers have spent the better part of recent seasons trying to build a roster and payroll strong enough to keep pace with the divisions heavyweights, and the Angels have often been part of that equation in a frustrating way. A new owner with deep sports ties could change how aggressive Los Angeles is in the market and how quickly it tries to close the gap, which is exactly why this sale is worth watching from Arlington. The Rangers do not just need to worry about the teams that have already been threats. They may soon be dealing with a different kind of competition down the freeway. [Read more 🡒]
Evan Carter Has One Big Hurdle In His Rangers Breakout Path
Evan Carters path back to the kind of all-around impact the Rangers saw in 2023 has not been a smooth one this season. The defense has still been there, with Carter grading out well in the outfield and continuing to add value on that side of the ball, but the bat has looked flatter, and the underlying contact profile has backed that up. His line-drive and ground-ball rates have slipped, the hard-hit contact has dropped, and he has not been living in the launch-angle sweet spot that helped drive his breakout.
For Texas, that leaves Carter in a familiar but important spot: still young enough to project forward, but clear-eyed enough to know the offensive answer will likely require some swing adjustments. The Rangers do not need him to reinvent himself overnight, but they do need the bat to catch up with the glove if he is going to reclaim the ceiling that made him such an exciting piece in the first place. An offseason of mechanical work may be where that next step has to start. [Read more 🡒]