Chris Martin injury could be his Rangers demise but opens the door for flamethrowing rookie

The Rangers were dealt another injury on Sunday as it was announced that 40-year-old veteran reliever Chris Martin will head to the 15-day IL with a right shoulder impingement. It is yet another blow to an already thin bullpen, so the team will once again need the "next man up" to take Martin's spot. Chris Young should now fully realize what this team needs at the trade deadline - a right-handed reliever.

The corresponding move is bringing up Emiliano Teodo from Round Rock for his first cup of coffee in the bigs, but it is more realistic that the team will turn to newly acquired right-hander Ben Peoples to fill the vacancy.

Peoples has made two relief appearances and pitched a total of three innings without giving up a run. Martin's misfortune could present the 25-year-old Tampa Bay Rays draft pick, who was signed to the active 40-man roster on July 2, with a much bigger role moving forward.

If he takes Martin's role as a seventh-inning bridge guy, it would ensure that the Rangers have five rookies in their bullpen. It's certainly not ideal to have such a lack of big league experience, but at the same time, these young hurlers don't have the same mental scar tissue that guys like Martin and Robert Garcia bring with them.

Ben Peoples and Emiliano Teodo have prime opportunities, but reliever is quickly becoming a pressing Rangers' trade need

With injuries to veterans like Martin, Garcia, Jakob Junis, and Jalen Beeks, the Rangers have had no choice but to call all available hands on deck to step forward much quicker than they had intended to. is the latest, and with Martin going down, it provides a clear path to the right-handed middle innings role.

Teodo joins Peoples, Gavin Collyer, Peyton Gray, and Robby Ahlstrom as the five rookie hurlers who make up the bulk of the team's bullpen.

Teodo is intriguing as they come, ranking No. 17 on Texas's top 30 prospects list, featuring a fastball that he can run up to 102 miles per hour and a slider that's even more devastating than his heater. He can rack up the Ks, punching out 52 over 40 2/3 innings at Round Rock, but can also flood the bases with walks. He allowed 35 free passes, tallying up a ghastly 18.7% walk rate.

Meanwhile, Peoples has a live arm with a mid-90s fastball, a hard breaking pitch, and a tendency to get a lot of ground balls, which could make him a good high-leverage option. In 2025, with two teams in the Rays Triple-A club, he posted a 3.33 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with more strikeouts than innings pitched.

Peoples or Teodo (or Collyer, for that matter) taking on a bigger role also makes the Rangers' need for a proven right-handed reliever at the trade deadline even more obvious. Still, until they get that more experienced arm, they will have to hope that Peoples and all the other rookie relievers can hold the ship steady until the club brings in some reinforcements via trade or free agency. We'll have to hope that they don't let Texas's playoff hopes slip away in the meantime.

As for Martin, there should be some real question as to whether or not the veteran should attempt ot come back from this. His ERA sits at 9.00 on the year, and he's had trouble staying healthy for more than a handful of games at a time. The 40-year-old has had a long and distinguished career, but it might be time to ride off into the sunset. Or at least, find another opportunity somewhere outside of Arlington.

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