The Texas Rangers sidelined right-hander Jack Leiter with a lingering ankle injury, call up Jose Corniell to steady a rotation struggling to keep pace in the American League West race.
Third-year big-leaguer Jack Leiter has been placed on the Injured List, the Texas Rangers announced on Sunday, June 21.
Leiter, 26, is 3-7 with a 5.29 ERA in his 15 starts this season. Coming off a year where he was 10-10 in 29 starts with a 3.86 ERA, it's clear he hasn't been his usual self.
Ultimately, the Rangers placed him on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Friday, June 19, due to right ankle posterior impingement.
Rangers' Jeff Wilson noted this goes back to when he slipped on the on-deck circle back in April. Knowing that is a few months away from where things stand in June, this is clearly a move that's been a long time coming.
Rangers Pitching Depth Takes a Hit
Simply put, this team did everything possible to avoid an IL stint for Leiter but that just wasn't possible. The Rangers have long discussed how confident they are in their starting rotation, but these players simply haven't lived up to the hype this season.
At the time of writing, the Rangers are only two games back in the American League West Division. This division is still up for grabs, so Leiter will hopefully return at 100% and be able to give this team the boost they desperately need. Lately, things just haven't gone according to plan for far more than just the right-handed pitcher.
Corresponding Move Announced
In the corresponding move, Texas Rangers PR revealed right-handed pitcher Jose Corniell would be taking his place in the majors. Corniell was recalled from Round Rock, where he sports an 0-2 record with a 6.08 ERA this season. Granted, that only comes in six starts, but those numbers still have a lot to be desired.
Texas clarified one thing about the move, "With today’s transactions, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the club’s Major League roster, along with five players on the 60-day Injured List (RHP Carter Baumler, LHP’s Cody Bradford, Robert Garcia, and Jordan Montgomery, INF/OF Michael Helman)", according to a team press note.
Corniell's Miniscule Big-League Experience
It's not much, but Corniell, 22, has just one big-league appearance. His ERA is a bit inflated, 16.20, and he has a 2.40 WHIP in the 1.2 innings he pitched.
Keep in mind, Corniell's lone relief appearance in the majors came on September 28, 2025. The righty filled up the stat sheet in 41 pitches with three hits allowed for four runs, three of which were earned. He allowed a home run, issued a walk, and struck out a batter.
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