Looks like the Rangers, still trying to hold off the Angels in the American League West, might be shaking up their rotation just a bit. Evan Grant (via the Dallas Morning News):
Is Alexi Ogando Heading To Rangers’ Bullpen?
The recent failure of middle relievers RHPs Yoshinori Tateyama and Koji Uehara has the Rangers considering the possibility of moving RHP Alexi Ogando back to the bullpen for the duration of the regular season and the playoffs.
Ogando is currently scheduled to pitch again on Thursday against Cleveland, but the recent shuffling of the rotation would allow for the club to slide RHP Scott Feldman into the spot, move Ogando to the bullpen and move forward.
Remember, just a few months ago Ogando was a sensation. Plucked from the bullpen -- and having exactly three games in his Organized Baseball career -- Ogando opened this season in the Rangers’ rotation and went 7-0 with a 2.10 ERA in his first 12 starts.
Since then, not so much: 5-8, 5.38 ERA in 16 games (including a recent relief outing). But Ogando hasn’t pitched as poorly as that ERA suggests.
In early July, Jeff Sullivan looked at Ogando’s (then) recent struggles and concluded there was little wrong with Ogando that a bit of rest wouldn’t cure.
But Ogando never really got much rest. He’s now thrown 160 innings, which doesn’t seem like a lot unless you know that before this season the converted outfielder had never thrown more than 72 innings in a season.
Maybe Ogando’s just out of gas. Even with an empty tank, Ogando’s not terrible. But with only one start since July 19 resulting in a Game Score higher than 60, it’s hard to argue that Ogando’s one of the Rangers’ four best starters. Which means he’s probably not going to start in October. And if he’s not going to start in October, he might as well get used to relieving again.
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