The Rangers have placed veteran righty starting pitcher Vicente Padilla on the 15-day disabled list with soreness in his neck. Padilla has started 25 games for the Rangers this season and he is 12-7 with a 4.98 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. The Rangers will recall Kameron Loe from AAA to replace Padilla in the starting rotation. Loe has pitched in 7 games (0 starts) for the Rangers this season and he is 1-0 with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.

The Rangers have finally rewarded 28-year old righty swinging outfielder Nelson Cruz for a job well done in the minors. Cruz has played in 104 games in AAA + rookie ball this season and he is 131 for 383 (.342 avg, 1.124 OPS) with 94 runs scored, 37 homers, 100 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. The Rangers hope that this time Cruz will grab his opportunity and run with it. Cruz has played in 145 games in his major league career and he is 102 for 442 (.231 avg, .667 OPS) with 51 runs scored, 15 homers and 56 RBIs. Too make room on the roster for Cruz the Rangers have designated outfielder Jason Ellison for assignment. Ellison played in 9 games for the Rangers this season and he was 3 for 13 (.231 avg, .517 OPS) with 5 runs scored and 2 RBIs.

The Rangers have traded 37-year old lefty reliever Eddie Guardado to the Twins for 21-year old righty reliever Mark Hamburger. Guardado was working as the closer for the Rangers after he replace the injured C.J. Wilson in that role. Guardado pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Rangers this season and he was 3-3 with 4 saves, a 3.65 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. The Rangers will likely replace Guardado at closer with flamethrowing righty Frank Francisco. Francisco has pitched in 47 games (0 starts) this season for the Rangers and he is 2-5 with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He has allowed only 43 hits in 52.1 innings this season for the Rangers while whiffing 65 batters. So, he definately has the stuff to succeed in this role so it will be interesting to see if he can handle it or not. 21-year old righty reliever Mark Hamburger pitched in 27 games (0 starts) in rookie ball for the Twins this season and he is 1-2 with 13 saves, a 4.17 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He has whiffed 40 batters in only 36.2 innings this season which shows that he has decent stuff.

The Texas Rangers have placed All-Star 2B Ian Kinsler on the 15-day disabled list with a sports hernia that could require season ending surgery. This hurts the Rangers big time as Kinsler was really a pistol at the top of the lineup for them. Kinsler has played in 121 games this season for the Rangers and he is 165 for 518 (.319 avg, .892 OPS) with 102 runs scored, 18 homers, 71 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. Ramon Vazquez will likely get most of the playing time while Kinsler is out. He has played in 88 games this season for the Rangers and he is 82 for 266 (.308 avg, .842 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 6 homers and 39 RBIs. The Rangers have also recalled 23-year old righty swinging Joaquin Arias from AAA to replace Kinsler on the roster. He was the #26 prospect in the Rangers’ farm system coming into this season according to Baseball America. Arias has played in 104 games in AAA-ball this season and he is 128 for 432 (.296 avg, .750 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 7 homers, 49 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. The Rangers will miss Kinsler big time no matter how well that Vazquez and Arias play.

Tommy Hunter certainly looks the part of a major league pitcher as he is a big guy that throws a really good fastball but major league batters are teeing off on him. Hunter has started 3 games for the Rangers this season and he is 0-2 with a 16.36 ERA and a 2.36 WHIP. Hunter has been bombarded for 23 hits and 4 homers in only 11 innings this season and the Rangers really should consider sending him back to AAA before he loses all of his confidence.

The Texas Rangers have placed David Murphy on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained knee ligament. Murphy has played in 108 games this season for the Rangers and he is 114 for 415 (.275 avg, .786 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 15 homers, 74 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. It’s too bad that Nelson Cruz is on the D.L. in AAA or the Rangers would surely have called him up and gave him some at bats. Cruz has played in 99 games in AAA ball this season and he is 126 for 366 (.344 avg, 1.144 OPS) with 93 runs scored, 37 homers, 98 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. Murphy’s atbats will likely go to Marlon Byrd and Brandon Boggs until Murphy is ready to return to action. Byrd has played in 76 games for the Rangers this season and he is 61 for 235 (.260 avg, .775 OPS) with 42 runs scored, 7 homers, 27 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Rookie Brandon Boggs has played in 66 games for the Rangers this season and he is 50 for 205 (.244 avg, .745 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 5 homers, 30 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The Rangers will miss Murphy who has played great since the day he arrived in Texas last season in the Eric Gagne trade.

The Rangers have placed closer C.J. Wilson on the 15-day disabled list with bone spurs in his left elbow. Wilson has pitched in 50 games for the Rangers this season and he is 2-2 with 24 saves, a 6.02 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. The Rangers were about to replace him as closer anyway but this made the move an easy one. The Rangers have declared veteran lefty Eddie Guardado as the team’s new closer. “Everyday Eddie” has pitched in 50 games for the Rangers this season and he is 3-2 with 3 saves, a 3.02 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. The Rangers have activated righty Joaquin Benoit from the disabled list to replace Wilson in the bullpen. Benoit has pitched in 34 games for the Rangers this season and he is 3-2 with 1 save, a 5.60 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. Benoit must tighten his control if the Rangers are to trust him late in games.

25-year old righty starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy is almost ready to rejoin the Rangers’ starting rotation and they really need the help. McCarthy has started 5 games in R+AAA ball on his rehab assignment and he is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. McCarthy has pitched in 88 games (34 starts) in his major league career and he is 12-19 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He can’t get back to Texas soon enough with the pitching staff they currently have.

The Rangers have recalled 3B Travis Metcalf from AAA to platoon with Ramon Vazquez at third base until Hank Blalock comes back. Metcalf has played in 62 games in AAA ball this season and he is 56 for 227 (.247 avg, .648 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 3 homers and 29 RBIs. He also has played in 3 games with the Rangers earlier this season in which he was 0 for 9.

The Rangers have placed righty starting pitcher Eric Hurley on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. He has started 5 games for the Rangers this season and he was 1-2 with a 5.47 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Rangers have called up Tommy Hunter to replace Hurley in the rotation. Hunter was the #15 prospect in the Rangers minor league system coming into this season according to Baseball America. The 22-year old Hunter is a big dude at 6′3″, 255 pounds and he throws pretty hard. Hunter has started 22 games this season in A+AA+AAA ball this season and he is 11-8 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.