Rangers Move Jon Gray to 15-Day IL

The right-hander left Monday's game with left side discomfort that has now been diagnosed as a left oblique strain.

The Texas Rangers have moved right-handed starting pitcher Jon Gray to the 15-day injured list after he suffered left side discomfort during Monday’s start.

It was one of three roster moves the Rangers made on Tuesday.

Gray (7-6) left the game in the top of the second inning after throwing a a 1-2 pitch to Baltimore’s Anthony Santander.

Per MLB.com, Gray has a left oblique strain that could keep him out of the lineup for the next four-to-six weeks.

Gray actually started experiencing discomfort a few pitches before that, according to Rangers manager Chris Woodward. After attempting to pitch through it, Gray left the contest after throwing 48 pitches and with the Rangers already down 2-0.

Texas lost the game 7-2.

Going into Monday’s game, Gray was giving the Rangers a tremendous 1-2 punch, along with left-hander Martín Pérez. In his last three games, Gray was 2-1, 1.86 (four earned runs in 19 1/3 innings pitched), six walks, 22 strikeouts and a .149 opponent batting average.

In Gray’s last nine starts since June 12, among American League starters in that span, he was tied for second in wins (six), fourth in ERA (2.25), fourth in innings pitched (56), sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.6) and sixth in opponent batting average (.206).

The Rangers made two moves to their pitching staff after Gray’s move to the IL and after the trade on Monday night, which sent relief pitcher Matt Bush to the Milwaukee Brewers for two players.

To replace the pair, the Rangers called up Taylor Hearn and Josh Sborz from Triple-A Round Rock. Woodward told reporters that Hearn, who has started for the Rangers this season, will remain in the bullpen.

It’s not clear what the Rangers will do with Gray’s next turn in the rotation, which will come up on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. The Rangers will start Spencer Howard on Tuesday against Baltimore.

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