3 immediate replacements if Robert Garcia injury becomes Rangers bullpen nightmare

Over the last week, members of the Texas Rangers bullpen have been dropping like flies with Luis Curvelo and Chris Martin joining rookie Carter Baumler on the injured list within the first month of the season.

What could've been seen as a total disaster remains mild as Texas's bullpen still remains one of the league's best in terms of ERA, third to be exact with a 2.91 ERA, trailing only the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves

Thhe bullpen might take another massive stab as left-hander Robert Garcia has reportedly undergone an MRI on his throwing shoulder and putting him in jeopardy regarding his availability moving forward. Thankfully, it seems the Rangers have a set of viable options a few hours from them in Round Rock.

These 3 pitchers will be ready to replace Garcia if lefty goes on injured list

Alexis Diaz, RHP

This isn't favorable giving the numbers Diaz put up during his 1.2 innings of Cactus League play where he surrendered eight earned runs and a .374 opponent batting average on just 49 pitches. However, the early returns to his season in Triple-A have shown he might be capable of a resurgence.

In eight games with the Express, the former All-Star has thrown eight scoreless innings, limiting opposing hitters to a 0.43 average, striking out 12 and allowing just one hit. Sure, it's the minors and Diaz is a former big league reliever with 75 career saves, it's kind of expected of him to find success in Triple-A, but progress is still progress.

If Skip Schumacher needs to make a decision of next man up, it'll be hard to ignore the work Diaz has put in and the promising results of that work.

Peyton Gray, RHP

Perhaps the main pitcher in the running for a bullpen spot if Garcia goes down is the 30-year-old Gray, who is still searching for his first taste of big league action.

Gray has fit all the boxes the Rangers would be looking for. Since being drafted in 2018, Gray has played 94 career games throughout the minors and has a 16-9 record and 2.84 ERA in 155 innings of work.

The six-foot-four, 235 pound right-hander features a four-seam fastball in the low 90s that generates a lot of swings and misses, a low 80s changeup that dives out of the zone and a mid-80s slider that is a flyout magnet. Only thing that could be a thorn in the side of the Rangers would be Gray not being on the 40-man roster so a DFA or longer injury stint for another player would be needed to make room for him.

Josh Sborz, RHP

Speaking of resurgences similar to Diaz, the Rangers are hoping to get one with their 2023 World Seires hero in Sborz. The 32-year-old recently outlasted his upward mobility clause, which allowed any of the other 29 teams to claim him in the two-day period.

That said, his clear focus remains on ramping back up to MLB reliever status. A big part of that is regaining more of his pitching velocity and showcasing to the Rangers brass that he can pitch back-to-back days without any extending recover time in between appearances.

His stint with the Express hasn't gone perfect, having an 0-1 record with a 6.97 ERA, 12 strikeouts, eight walks and a 1.54 WHIP in 10.1 innings of work. He had success to start the month of April with five straight scoreless outings but has been tagged with 7 runs in the past two appearances on Wednesday and Saturday.

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