AL West notes
Houston Astros
Nolan Ryan, now an executive adviser with the Astros, on the Rangers-Astros rivalry: “This is the kind of thing that you hope sometime down the road when they’re both competing for the division, it’ll be a lot more interesting. It hasn’t been very competitive, so I think the teams don’t view it as a real rivalry, but I think it’s just a matter of time,” the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. … GM Jeff Luhnow said RHP Jose Cisnero will have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow this week
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels could have given that ninth inning to reliever Cory Rasmus, whose brother Colby, a Toronto outfielder, was due up second. With a six-run lead, did manager Mike Scioscia consider using Cory Rasmus so he could face his brother? “For that reason? No,” Scioscia said. The brother-against-brother at-bat would have made for a happy gift for their mother on Mother’s Day. Scioscia said both brothers could not have succeeded simultaneously. “She was going to be disappointed one way or the other,” Scioscia told the Los Angeles Times.
Oakland Athletics
His family tells San Francisco Chronicle that Sonny Gray once bought a Guinness beer cap because he thought it said “Genius.” … Left-handed reliever Eric O’Flaherty, originally scheduled to be back around the All-Star break, is on a path that would have him back in the A’s bullpen sometime in June. He threw to hitters last week for the first time since his Tommy John surgery of last May 21 when he was with Atlanta. He threw only fastballs. “In the first live session they didn’t want me to get too amped up,” O’Flaherty told the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times. “I felt comfortable out there.” … After missing a month with an oblique strain, catcher Stephen Vogt has been activated by Triple-A Sacramento. Vogt came close to making the opening day roster, but only got into five games before the oblique strain shoved him onto the DL, the newspaper reported.
Seattle Mariners
Pitchers James Paxton (strained lat muscle) and Taijuan Walker (shoulder impingement) threw bullpen sessions last week. Paxton is up to 40 pitches and will have another session before a decision will be made where he will pitch next. Walker threw 25 pitches and will need at least a couple more sessions before the club considers a rehab assignment.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Nolan Ryan’s 5,000th strikeout on Aug. 22 with a Ryan replica jersey giveaway. He struck out Rickey Henderson on Aug. 22, 1989 for No. 5,000. Ryan, now an executive adviser with the Astros, said he doesn’t know if he’ll make an appearance that day at Rangers Ballpark or not, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Compiled by Rick Crotts from wire reports.
