ARLINGTON — One man’s muscle heals up, another man’s flares up. That’s how it’s gone for the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers placed catcher Kyle Higashioka on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a mild left intercostal strain and recalled right-handed pitcher Caleb Boushley from Triple-A Round Rock. The intercostal muscles are located in the ribs and can cause chest and upper back pain.
Higashioka is the third Rangers hitter to be placed on the injured list this season with a soft tissue injury. Left fielder Wyatt Langford (oblique strain) and shortstop Corey Seager (hamstring strain) were the first.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy doesn’t expect Higashioka, who sat out Wednesday’s game vs. the Athletics with a tight hamstring, to need more than the minimum 10 days on the injured list. He’s eligible to return May 10 against the Detroit Tigers.
“He had a couple things going on,” Bochy said. “We’re going to give him a little 10-day break.”
Higashioka, 35, slashed .254/.279/.390 in his first 17 games this season and split time at catcher with Jonah Heim. The Rangers selected the contract of two-time Gold Glove catcher Tucker Barnhart on Wednesday to temporarily backfill Higashioka. Barnhart, who had been at Triple-A Round Rock, will catch right-handed starting pitcher Tyler Mahle Thursday vs. the Athletics.
Higashioka’s injured list stint will overlap with Seager, who could be activated as soon as Saturday, which means that the Rangers will have played just six games with their full stable of regular hitters this season until he returns.
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