Report: Rangers considering Lohse as bullpen option
The Texas Rangers are thinking about calling up Kyle Lohse - as a reliever.
Instead of reaching out to other teams for help, the club appears to be seriously considering Lohse, who is in Triple-A, as a bullpen option, according to the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant.
Entering Thursday, the Rangers comfortably lead the American League West by 6 1/2 games, and while their starting pitching is the best in the AL, their bullpen is the worst.
| Stat (AL Rank) | ERA | HR | Opp. AVG | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starters | 3.58 (1) | 50 (3) | .244 (2) | 1.27 (4) |
| Relievers | 4.99(30) | 32(14) | .283(15) | 1.45(14) |
Lohse was signed to a minor-league deal in mid-May, and as a starter it hasn't gone too well so far. In six starts at Triple-A Round Rock, he's 2-3 with a 5.35 ERA.
Over his 15-year career, he's only appeared out of the bullpen 39 times, posting a 4.08 ERA in 68 1/3 innings. The last time he came in relief was Sept. 8, 2009 with the St. Louis Cardinals when he pitched one inning of shutout relief.