Roy Oswalt, who the Rangers signed to a one year deal last month after the pitcher decided to not open the season with a team, will be starting on Friday for Texas in their game at home against the Rockies, who will send Christian Friedrich to the hill.
In four rehab starts for AA Frisco and AAA Round Rock, Oswalt has an ugly 5.87 ERA. That dire mark can be attributed to sky high BABIPs (.385 in Frisco, .368 in Round Rock), as his strikeout and walk rates look solid at 7.50 and 2.25.
The Rangers rotation could use the extra boost that Oswalt will provide, and he'll replace Scott Feldman in their rotation. Feldman has been awful in eight starts this year after replacing the injured Neftali Feliz in the rotation. As a starter, Feldman has a 6.43 ERA, striking out 29 and walking 12 in 35 innings. The choice to boot Feldman from the rotation is slightly shocking in light of Derek Holland heading to the DL and being replaced by rookie Justin Grimm, who allowed three runs in six innings while walking none and striking out seven in his major league debut on Saturday against the Astros. It will be Grimm who holds on to the final rotation spot, while the veteran Feldman will be bumped to the pen.
Holland's spot in the Texas rotation was initially taken by reliever Alexi Ogando, who threw three innings in his first stsart of the year and strained a groin, sending him to the DL and knocking him out of action for four to six weeks. That opened the door for Grimm, who impressed the Rangers brass enough to stay around a little while longer. Just a month ago when Oswalt was signed, I was wondering where he could fit in. Now, with Feliz, Holland, and Ogando all down, the signing is looking like a brilliant move by GM Jon Daniels.
