Rangers Mitch Garver Activated, To Start vs. Astros

Rangers send Nick Solak to Round Rock, meaning that Jonah Heim and Sam Huff will split catching duties

Matthew Postins | May 19, 2022

Texas Rangers catcher Mitch Garver was called up from Triple A Round Rock and will start at designated hitter when the Rangers face the Houston Astros on Thursday.

This will be Garver’s first action with the Rangers since May 8, when the Rangers lost to the New York Yankees, 2-1. Garver went 2-for-4 with two doubles in that game. But he also suffered a flexor tendon strain in his right forearm, which led to the Rangers putting him on the injured list on May 9.

Before the injury, Garver had a hitting slash of .205/.292/.346 in 22 games.

Mitch Garver and Taylor Hearn

Adolis Garcia and Mitch Garver

Nick Solak

To make room for Garver, the Rangers are optioning Nick Solak to Round Rock.

Garver started a rehab assignment on Tuesday at Frisco, where he went 0-for-2 with two walks. On Wednesday, the Rangers moved him up to Round Rock for another rehab game, during which Garver went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

The Rangers optioned Solak because, for the time being, Garber will only be a designated hitter as he allows his flexor tendon to continue its recovery. That means that the Rangers will split catching duties between Jonah Heim and Sam Huff.

Jonah Heim

Brett Martin and Jonah Heim

Sam Huff

Huff has already been up-and-down from Triple A Round Rock once this season.

Garver came to the Rangers in a trade in March. The Rangers moved infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and right-handed pitcher Ronny Henriquez to the Minnesota Twins to acquire Garver. The former ninth-round pick of the Twins won the 2019 Silver Slugger award for catchers with a hitting slash of .273/.365/.630, along with 31 home runs and 67 RBIs.

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Published May 19, 2022

MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers for Fan Nation/SI and also writes about the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. He also covers the Big 12 for HeartlandCollegeSports.com.