Infielder Josh Smith was sent down to Triple-A Round Rock in a series of moves that Texas Rangers did on Friday.
For now, Texas Rangers infielder Josh Smith will be calling Round Rock, Texas, as his home.
On Friday afternoon, in a series of moves announced by the ballclub, Smith was optioned to the Triple-A Round Rock Express.
In additional moves, outfielder Jarred Kelenic's contract was selected from Round Rock. And, infielder-outfielder Michael Helman was transferred to 60-day Injured List.
Smith had put together a slash line of .218/.248/.564 with no home runs and six RBIs. He went 22-for-101 for Texas, scoring six runs and stealing two bases. The former American League Silver Slugger Award winner was a vital part of the Rangers' run to a World Series championship.
But he's struggled to maintain that type of effort at the plate. Now, he goes to Round Rock where one of his goals probably will be to hit more consistently.
Born Josh Harris Smith in 1997 in Baton Rouge, La., Smith was a 38th-round draft pick by Detroit in the 2016 MLB Draft, then was a second-round draft pick by the Yankees in the 2019 MLB Draft. Smith played his college ball at LSU, one of the premier baseball programs in the Southeastern Conference.
Smith is one a one-year, $3.23 million contract with Texas that runs through 2026.
It's possible that Smith could get traded at or before the MLB Trade Deadline.
Kalenic has played in the majors before with the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago White Sox. He started this season with the White Sox before becoming part of the Rangers' organization.
Kalenic last played in the majors for the White Sox late this May. In his last five MLB games, Kalenic went 3-for-14 with one double, no home runs, and no RBIs. He put up eight strikeouts during that stretch, too.
Helman suffered a number of fractures after being hit on the hand by a pitch a few days ago. He was hit by a pitch during the Rangers' series with the Boston Red Sox.
The Rangers start a three-game weekend series at Globe Life Park on Friday night against the San Diego Padres.
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