ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -The Texas Rangers sent inconsistent starter Robinson Tejeda back to the minor leagues Monday, a move the team hopes will result in longer-term success when he returns.
Tejeda (5-9, 6.61 ERA) was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma. The right-hander was 2-8 with a 7.93 ERA over 14 starts since an impressive April when he was on an opening day roster for the first time.
After being recalled from Oklahoma last season, Tejeda was 4-2 in nine starts the last six weeks of the season. The right-hander then went 3-1 with a 3.82 ERA in his five April starts this year, but has struggled since.
Left-hander John Rheinecker was recalled from Oklahoma and will start the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday against Seattle. Rheinecker allowed four runs in three innings against Detroit on June 5 in his only start for Texas.
Tejeda was sent to the minors right before the All-Star break to work with pitching coach Mark Connor and bullpen coach Dom Chiti. He did not pitch for Oklahoma at that time.
Tejeda will have to be in Oklahoma at least 10 days before the Rangers can recall him. General manager Jon Daniels isn’t sure how long the pitcher will stay there.
“It’s up to him,” Daniels said. “Hopefully, we’ll have similar but longer-lasting results than we had when he went back last year. … There a few things, some mechanical, but also some his approach to his job.”
Rangers manager Ron Washington said Tejeda needs to get a consistent delivery.
“He has to make sure he incorporates one delivery instead of all these different deliveries which cause his ball to be scattered all over the place,” Washington said. “It’s hard to work those type of things out up here. We certainly don’t want to destroy the kid. We want the kid to be successful.”
Tejeda has pitched past the fifth inning only four times in 14 starts since April. In the first month of the season, he won Texas’ home opener with seven shutout innings against Boston and allowed only one run in seven innings in a victory at the Chicago White Sox on April 17.
The Rangers got the 25-year-old Tejeda before the 2006 season opener in a trade that sent popular outfielder David Dellucci to Philadelphia.
Tejeda was 4-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 26 games (13 starts) for the Phillies in 2005 and 5-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 14 starts for Texas last year.
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