Mendez did not make the Rangers' 30-man roster, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
He is still on the 40-man roster, so Mendez will likely be shuttled back and forth between the majors and the alternate training site this season.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Reinstated by Rangers
Rotowire
Mendez (suspension) was reinstated by the Rangers on Wednesday and added to the 60-man roster.
Mendez was suspended by Texas in March for seeing outside medical attention for shoulder inflammation, but he'll join the player pool ahead of the start of the abbreviated 2020 season. The 25-year-old pitched just 4.2 innings in the majors last season, and it's unclear whether he'll see any time with the big-league club this year.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Suspended by team
Rotowire
Mendez (shoulder) was placed on the suspended list by the Rangers on Wednesday after seeing unauthorized outside medical attention, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
Mendez has been battling shoulder inflammation. His recovery timeline from that injury is not yet clear, and neither is the length that he'll be suspended. When available, it's far from guaranteed that he'll be pitching in the majors, as he did so for just 4.2 innings last season.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Battling minor shoulder issue
Rotowire
Mendez is dealing with shoulder inflammation, though the issue isn't considered serious, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
The issue appears unrelated to the elbow injury that kept Mendez out for most of last season, during which he threw just 4.2 big-league innings.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Bags win Saturday
Rotowire
Mendez (1-0) allowed one run on one hit while striking out six over 2.1 relief innings Saturday to pick up the win over the Orioles.
Mendez entered the game early for starter Jonathan Hernandez, who was not stretched out enough to go longer than the 60 pitches he threw. This was Mendez's first appearance since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville, and he was used in a role that manager Chris Woodward is envisioning for the right-hander going forward. Primarily a starter in the minor leagues, Mendez will pitch as a multi-inning reliever whose stuff could play up in shorter stints. There was evidence of that Saturday when he struck out six of the eight batters he faced.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Looking at multi-inning role
Rotowire
Mendez will throw out of the Rangers' bullpen in multiple-inning stints, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
Mendez, a one-time prospect as a starter, has slipped off the radar and spent most of the season recovering from a sprained ligament in his left elbow. Since his return, he's been used as a reliever, situations in which he can ramp up the fastball. "I'd like to see him in multiple-inning stints, two or three innings," manager Chris Woodward said. "His stuff looks good, he is throwing hard. It's intriguing because he has a really good arm and with the [shorter outings], the stuff plays up better. He has always had the plus changeup, but his fastball is in the mid-90s consistently." Indeed, the left-hander has struck out 27 over 18.1 innings in the minors this season, including a 15:2 K:BB in five appearances (7.1 innings) for Triple-A Nashville. Multi-inning relievers have become more valuable in baseball, and Mendez may have found a niche. He's eligible for the Rule 5 Draft in the offsesaon, so the Rangers need to determine if he's worth keeping.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Mendez was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Thursday.
He has logged three straight scoreless appearances for the Sounds, although he gave up four runs in the outing before that stretch. Look for him to work as a reliever capable of getting more than three outs.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Activated and optioned
Rotowire
Mendez (elbow) was activated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Monday.
Mendez had been dealing with a sprained UCL in his elbow since mid-March. He's thrown 14 rehab innings, recording an ERA of 6.43. He could potentially feature in the big leagues at some point in September, though his career 6.28 ERA in 43 innings of work doesn't suggest he'll be much of an asset.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Moves rehab to Triple-A
Rotowire
Mendez (elbow) was transferred to Triple-A Nashville to continue his rehab assignment.
Mendez has been sidelined all season with a left elbow strain. The southpaw has already made seven rehab appearances across multiple affiliates, compiling a 4.91 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and 12:7 K:BB in 11 innings. Mendez is trending towards rejoining the Rangers before the end of August, barring setbacks during his time with the Sounds.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Begins rehab stint
Rotowire
Mendez (elbow) started a rehab assignment with the Arizona League Rangers on Friday.
Mendez has been on the shelf since the beginning of the season due to a left elbow strain, but he's finally been given the green light to embark on a rehab stint. It remains to be seen whether he'll return this season, considering his lengthy stay on the shelf.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: To throw off mound
Rotowire
Mendez (elbow) will throw off a mound Saturday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
Back in March, Mendez was ruled out until midseason with a Grade 1 UCL strain, but at this point it seems likely that he will miss most or all of the 2019 season.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Moves to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Mendez (elbow) was moved to the 60-day injured list, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
Mendez is expected to miss the first half of the season with a sprained ligament in his left elbow. His IL designation cleared a spot on the 40-man roster for Adrian Sampson, who was called up from Triple-A Nashville.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Hits IL
Rotowire
The Rangers placed Mendez (elbow) on the 10-day injured list Thursday.
Mendez isn't expected to be ready to contribute for the big club until at least midseason after suffering a Grade 1 elbow strain during spring training. He'll be a candidate to shift to the 60-day IL if the Rangers need to open up a 40-man roster spot at some point.
Mendez was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain of his left ulnar collateral ligament, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
All things considered, this is good news for the southpaw, who was facing the possibility of Tommy John surgery. Instead, he'll be shut down from throwing for the next six weeks before being re-evaluated. Assuming everything goes as planned with his recovery, Mendez is expected to return close to the midpoint of the season.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Dealing with elbow tightness
Rotowire
Mendez left Saturday's game against Arizona with left elbow tightness.
Elbow issues are always a worry for pitchers, though the severity of this one is not yet clear. Mendez will be evaluated Monday, at which point a clearer timeline should emerge.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Exits with injury
Rotowire
Mendez left Sunday's game against Arizona with an apparent injury, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
The nature of the injury is not yet clear, but Mendez was forced to exit with a trainer in just his second inning of work. The 24-year-old was already likely to be on the outside looking in when the Rangers' Opening Day rotation is decided, so even a slight injury is likely to rule him out of the picture.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Has rough opener
Rotowire
Mendez allowed three runs on four hits while striking out two in over one inning in Sunday's game against the Brewers.
Mendez is someone the Rangers consider a top candidate to step into the rotation if an injury arises. That's still the case even after Sunday's performance that included a misplaced slider that Hernan Perez yanked over the left-field wall. "[He] didn't execute the pitch," manager Chris Woodward told Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News. "But as we get into the season and get more information, we probably wouldn't have thrown that pitch. The slider wasn't the pitch to throw."
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Slated to start Sunday
Rotowire
Mendez will start Sunday against Milwaukee, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Mendez had a rocky introduction to the majors last year, when he was roughed up in his first MLB start then sent down to the minors for violating team rules. The left-hander paid his dues in the minors, eventually earning the team's trust, and returned for a handful of September starts. Mendez is expected to open 2019 at Triple-A Nashville, but should get plenty of work this spring, because manager Chris Woodward wants to protect projected starters Shelby Miller, Edinson Volquez and Drew Smyly, all of whom are coming back from Tommy John surgery. Mendez, along with right-hander Ariel Jurado, will be depth options for the rotation.
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Rangers' Yohander Mendez: Makes final start
Rotowire
Mendez allowed two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out three over 4.1 innings in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Angels.
Mendez made his final start of the season and enters the winter as one of several pitchers in the mix for a starting job in 2019, though his body of work as a starter was not very good. He had a 7.29 ERA with 12 walks in 21 innings over five starts. Mendez also made one appearance as the primary pitcher following a game-opener.
