The Texas Rangers placed left-hander Robert Garcia on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation Thursday and summoned 30-year-old right-hander Peyton Gray to the major league roster. The move opens a spot for Gray, who is seeking his first big league appearance, while catcher Willie MacIver was designated for assignment to clear a 40-man roster slot.
Gray has spent eight years chasing a major league chance. He has appeared in roughly 278 games across the minor leagues, independent ball and winter leagues outside the United States. He also pitched collegiately at Florida Gulf Coast University and began his professional career in 2018 with a short-season Rockies affiliate.
This spring Gray was a non-roster invite who caught attention. He posted a 2.53 ERA in nine spring appearances with 18 strikeouts and one walk in 10 2/3 innings. He opened the regular season at Triple-A Round Rock and threw 12 1/3 scoreless innings over seven games, going 1-0 with two saves, 15 strikeouts and two walks.
“Being the 30-year-old non-roster invite that doesn’t have any big league time, I don’t think they expected me to put up as many zeroes and throw as many strikes as I did,” Gray said in the Rangers clubhouse before a series finale against Pittsburgh. “So I think I surprised them. I might have surprised myself a little bit too.”
Manager Skip Schumaker praised Gray’s path and recent performance. “What a story this is going to be when he gets on the mound. The journey is from minor leagues to independent ball to international, the whole deal. It’s an incredible story and earned,” Schumaker said. “I mean, it’s not just because we need a pitcher. Like he’s earned this, and I think that’s what sticks out the most. Dominated in spring training, dominated in Triple-A so far.”
Garcia last pitched April 16 and the IL move could be made retroactive to Monday. He is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in nine games this season. An MRI showed no structural damage and he received an injection in the shoulder, but he had not pitched in a week when the team placed him on the injured list. “We were kind of just waiting for it to turn. It just did not. So you can’t be a man short for too much longer,” Schumaker said.
Garcia described the team’s approach to his recovery. “Now we’re just letting everything set in and let it take its course and give it some time. And then obviously day by day treatment and stuff like that as much as we can do,” Garcia said. “You have to be smart. It is April, and I know how much value I hold in the bullpen. And I don’t want to let this linger for five more months.”
The Rangers will monitor Garcia’s progress and decide how soon Gray might make his debut. Gray’s long road to this chance and his recent dominance in spring training and Triple-A give the club options in a bullpen suddenly short a lefty. The team now looks ahead to how Gray fits into its relief plans while Garcia begins a cautious recovery.
