Could Rangers fans see Jack Leiter back in the majors sooner than they thought?

Jack Leiter made his major league debut earlier this season and was quickly sent back to the minor leagues after just one start. While right-hander did not have a great debut, sending Leiter back to Triple-A was more about roster construction than performance.

Texas would have never added Leiter to the rotation were it not for injuries. Already without Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, and Tyler Mahle, the Rangers had just lost Cody Bradford to the IL with a lower back strain.

But the Rangers also added Michael Lorenzen around the same time, and Texas' late-spring free agent addition has been part of the starting rotation ever since. But the Rangers may well need Leiter once again. With another starter possibly headed to the injured list, it could be time for the former first-round pick to catch a flight to Arlington.

Could Rangers fans see Jack Leiter back in the majors sooner than they thought?

The Rangers fanbase saw Nathan Eovaldi leave the mound on Thursday. His performance against the Washington Nationals was stellar, but groin tightness caused the Rangers' Opening Day starter to leave the game midway through the sixth inning.

To add insult to Eovaldi's injury, Scherzer missed his last rehab start. While it was assumed that the former Cy Young Award winner needed just one more outing with Triple-A Round Rock, Scherzer complained of a sore thumb and did not pitch earlier this week.

The Rangers only have so many options at their disposal. Lorenzen, Dane Dunning, and Jon Gray are Texas' probable pitchers for the team's weekend series against the upstart Kansas City Royals. The Rangers will then have three games in four days against the Oakland A's. Leiter may have already been given the opportunity to pitch in next Wednesday's doubleheader, but could now join the rotation full-time if Eovaldi at least misses a turn in the rotation.

Leiter's first major league game was met with mixed results, and ultimately the 24-year-old left the game after only logging 3.2 innings and allowing seven runs on eight hits. But since returning to the minors, Leiter has allowed just two runs on four hits over 11 innings with 12 strikeouts for the Express.

Whether it's on his own merits or due to the Rangers' desperation, don't be surprised to see Leiter back in the big leagues this month.

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