Rangers notebook: RHP Albert Abreu to IL; Texas briefly employs 4-outfielder shift vs. Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — The Rangers found a way to hold on to struggling, but intriguing right-hander Albert Abreu. It’s called the Injured List.

In order to make room for Tuesday starter Jon Gray on the 26-man roster, the Rangers placed Abreu on the 15-day IL with a sprained left ankle. The move was retroactive to April 30, the day after he walked four Atlanta hitters in 1 1/3 innings. It is not clear when or how he suffered the injury.

The IL move allows the Rangers to hold on to Abreu, acquired from the New York Yankees for Jose Trevino, rather than expose him to waivers. Abreu is out of minor league options. He would be eligible for activation on May 15 when the Rangers would ostensibly face another decision on his future. Abreu, 26, features a 97 mph fastball, which makes him intriguing, if he can command it.

Four’s a crowd: On Tuesday vs. Philadelphia, the Rangers used a four-man outfield alignment on Bryce Harper when he led off the third inning with 3B Charlie Culberson moving to left field. LF Nick Solak slid into left-center and CF Eli White into right-center.

It worked. Harper struck out.

Briefly: Co-pitching coach Doug Mathis, who had been out over the weekend in COVID protocols, joined the team in Philadelphia and was back on the bench. … C Jack Kruger is with the club on the current road trip as the taxi squad catcher. … The Rangers visit to Philadelphia is their first since 2011. It’s the longest they’ve gone since visiting any park in MLB. Now the longest absence: The eight years since they went to Loan Depot Park in Miami. They will visit the park twice later this season to make up a series that had originally been scheduled for early April.

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Evan Grant, Rangers beat writer/insider. Evan has covered the Rangers since 1997. He has twice been named one of the top 10 beat writers in the country by the AP Sports Editors. His passions outside of covering baseball are his wife, Gina, his two step kids, two crazy dogs & barbecue. Let’s not discuss the cat. Evan graduated from Georgia State University, but oddly is a Georgia fan.

egrant@dallasnews.com @Evan_P_Grant