Here We Go Again: Texas Rangers Pitcher Jon Gray Out With Injury

Texas Rangers starter Jon Gray left Monday night's series opener at the Los Angeles Angels with a wrist tightness in the seventh inning.

The Texas Rangers had to be holding their breath watching another starting pitcher leave a game early Monday night in Anaheim.

Well, they now know they'll be without pitcher Jon Gray for the next 15 days. 

Gray was replaced by right-hander Jake Latz on the roster for the final three games of the regular season against the Seattle Mariners, including Friday night.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy declined to say whether Gray would be available for the ALDS, which starts Oct. 7, if Texas earns a Wild Card bye with an AL West title.

 The right-hander exited Monday’s 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels for precautionary reasons after feeling more discomfort warming up before the seventh inning.

Gray didn’t seem too worried after Monday’s game when asked how his wrist felt.

Jon Gray was expected to start Saturday at Seattle before going on the IL / © Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

“Good, just tight,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything seriously wrong. I felt the ball was a little slicker than usual, so I may have gripped it a little harder, but it’s just a little tight.”

He noticed the tightness in the sixth but decided to warm up in the seventh after consulting with coaches and trainers in the dugout. The Rangers were leading 4-1 at the time and Gray was in the midst of his best start in a month.

He had struck out seven in six innings and allowed just five hits without a walk.

“Just staying within myself and competing, not trying to make the perfect pitch every time,” Gray said. “It was a lot better. I was more in the zone. We didn’t walk anyone, so there were a lot of positives to that.”

Gray had been scuffling lately, going 0-3 and 6.46 ERA in his previous seven starts. But much like the Rangers, the veteran found his groove with the postseason fast approaching.

Texas (89-70) controls its playoff destiny with three games left in the regular season. The Rangers lead the American League West by 1.5 games over the Houston Astros, and the magic numbers to clinch the division and postseason spot are two and one, respectively.

It’s all there for the taking.

“I think we can definitely make it hard on ourselves,” Gray said. “I don’t think we are, though. I think everyone is doing a really good job of handling things, having fun with watching what else goes on, but at the same time knowing what we can do and taking care of what we can control. I think that’s a good spot to be in.”

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