Rangers reliever Barnette on DL with strained lat muscle

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Rangers reliever Tony Barnette won’t throw for at least four weeks after an MRI revealed a strained lat muscle.

Barnette had the MRI exam Wednesday, a day after leaving a game in the middle of a batter. The team had initially said the right-hander had a shoulder strain after he came out of Tuesday night’s game.

The Rangers said after their 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Wednesday night that Barnette will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The reliever will not throw during that time.

Working the eighth inning in a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday night, his second inning of the game, Barnette felt something different in his shoulder on his first pitch to Marwin Gonzalez. Barnette (2-0) threw two more pitches before exiting the game.

Texas recalled right-hander Chris Martin from Triple-A Round Rock. Martin was optioned to the minors on Tuesday, but was able to come back before 10 days by replacing a player on the DL.

Martin (1-2) worked the 10th inning against the Astros, and fell down after one of his pitches. The Rangers said after the game that he had a left groin issue that would be re-evaluated.

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