The Texas Rangers have placed pitcher Jon Gray on the injured list due to lower forearm tightness. Gray will be out for at least 15 days, with the move being retroactive to Thursday. This means Gray will not be able to rejoin the active roster until October 13. As a result, his availability for a potential deciding Game 5 of the American League Division Series is uncertain. In the meantime, the Rangers have called up pitcher Jake Latz from Triple-A to replace Gray.
The loss of Gray is significant for the Rangers. This season, Gray has a 4.12 ERA and a 2.63 K/BB ratio in 29 starts and 157 1/3 innings pitched. The Rangers are on track to clinch a playoff berth and are likely to win the AL West, earning them a first-round bye to the Division Series. It remains unclear if the Rangers will choose to play short a player in the first four games of the series to make it possible for Gray to pitch in Game 5.
The injury to Gray further complicates the Rangers’ pitching rotation for the postseason. Ace pitcher Jacob deGrom’s absence due to Tommy John surgery was already a concern. The team addressed this issue by acquiring pitchers Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery. However, Scherzer also recently suffered an injury, and his status for the postseason is uncertain. With Gray now out as well, the Rangers face uncertainty in their playoff rotation behind Nathan Eovaldi and Montgomery.
