Rangers Release Veteran Catcher

March 27: The Texas Rangers announced on Monday that they have released catcher Sandy Leon, who was a non-roster invitee to spring training camp. 

Leon is a 10-year veteran and a .210 lifetime hitter. 

The move underscores the comfort the Rangers have in the tandem of Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver. Heim will get the majority of the playing time, per manager Bruce Bochy, with Garver getting time at designated hitter when he isn't behind the plate.

The Rangers made the move in advance of its exhibition game on Monday with Kansas City.

March 25: The Texas Rangers have shut down pitcher Glenn Otto for three weeks as he prepares to be re-examined by team doctors on Monday in Arlington, per a report from Rangers Today. 

Otto, who won seven games last season and was a candidate for the bullpen, hasn't pitched in more than a week due to what the Rangers have called right lat tightness. 

Dr. Keith Meister, the Rangers' team doctor, will handle the examination. 

March 25: The Texas Rangers have informed reliever Joe Barlow that he will begin the season at Triple-A Round Rock. 

Barlow was a two-year veteran of the Rangers bullpen and, despite blister issues, led the club in saves in 2022 with 13.

He threw 8 1/3 innings of relief in Spring Training, going 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA. 

March 24: The Texas Rangers informed two players that they would be released and two other players that they would not be breaking camp with the team.

Manager Bruce Bochy made the announcement, at the same time announcing that pitcher Jacob deGrom would start on Opening Day. 

The Rangers informed pitcher Reyes Moronta and outfielder Joe McCarthy that they will be released. Both were signed as non-roster invitees for Spring Training. 

Moronta, a former San Francisco Giants reliever, threw in seven games and pitched 5 2/3 innings in spring, striking out five hitters. 

McCarthy went through Spring Training with the Rangers last season. He batted .258 with a home run and three RBI in 31 at-bats. 

Two other players won't break camp with the Rangers are first baseman Yoshi Tsutsugo and outfielder Clint Frazier.

Bochy said the two players have not been released and are weighing their options. 

Tsutsugo was a late arrival to spring due to visa issues and batted .240 with one home run and six RBI in 25 at-bats. 

Frazier was contending for a utility outfield role. He batted .244 with two home runs and five RBI in 41 at-bats. 

With those moves, the Rangers are now down to 39 players on their spring roster entering Friday's game with the Chicago Cubs. 

The Rangers have three more games in Arizona before breaking camp and returning to Arlington for two exhibition games with the Kansas City Royals, starting Monday at Globe Life Field.