Duran remains out of the lineup Thursday versus the White Sox.
Duran sat Wednesday in favor of Mitch Garver getting a turn at designated hitter, and it'll be Corey Seager filling the DH role for the Rangers in Thursday's matinee. Josh Smith is playing shortstop. Seager's swift return from a thumb sprain could continue to muddy Duran's path toward regular playing time.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Gets breather Wednesday
Rotowire
Duran is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the White Sox.
Duran takes a seat after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Tuesday night against Chicago. Travis Jankowski, Leody Taveras and Adolis Garcia will start across the outfield for the Rangers on Wednesday, with Mitch Garver filling the designated hitter role. Sam Huff is catching.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: On base twice, steals bag
Rotowire
Duran went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored in Sunday's 5-3 loss to San Diego.
Duran was back in the lineup at shortstop after receiving a one-day respite. He walked and stole his sixth base in the fourth inning before coming home on a throwing error. He later scored on Marcus Semien's two-run single. Duran's production has dropped off since coming back from the break, posting a .167 average (7-for-42) with three RBI over the last 12 games.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
Duran isn't in the Rangers' lineup Saturday against the Padres.
Duran is slashing just .154/.250/.256 across 44 plate appearances since the All-Star break, so he'll take Saturday off to regroup. Josh Smith will start at shortstop in Duran's place and bat ninth.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Filling in at shortstop
Rotowire
Duran started at shortstop and went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 8-4 win over the Dodgers.
Duran made a second consecutive start at short and 28th of the season, as Corey Seager (thumb) is on the injured list. Duran has been chilly since coming back from the All-Star break. He entered Sunday 2-for-18 with nine strikeouts over six games.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Belts big two-run homer
Rotowire
Duran went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Monday in a 3-2 win over the Rays.
Shane McClanahan dominated Texas for five innings before Duran provided a key turning point with his game-tying two-run shot off the Tampa Bay ace in the sixth. It was the emerging slugger's first hit since the All-Star break -- he had gone 0-for-7 with four strikeouts prior to that point. Duran is enjoying a very strong campaign overall, however, slashing .301/.336/.523 with 13 homers, 37 RBI, 38 runs and four steals over 73 contests.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Sitting Wednesday
Rotowire
Duran is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
With just one hit and nine strikeouts in 17 at-bats over his last four starts, Duran will sit for the second time in three games to open up a spot in the outfield for Robbie Grossman. Duran is still upholding a strong .876 OPS on the season, so he shouldn't be on the outs yet for a near-everyday role, despite his recent slump.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Stays hot Wednesday
Rotowire
Duran went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and an additional RBI in Wednesday's victory over the Tigers.
Duran has multiple hits in four straight contests and eight of his last 10 starts. He's hit a home run in back-to-back games against the Tigers and collected eight extra-base hits, five RBI and eight runs during his 10-game hot streak. While he's been on another level recently, Duran has been a steady contributor all season for the Rangers, slashing .322/.364/.555 with 11 home runs, 33 RBI and 33 runs scored across 61 games (225 plate appearances). The 24-year-old can play infield or outfield, but he appears to have solidified himself as Texas' primary left fielder moving forward.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Scorching in June
Rotowire
Duran went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 8-3 win over the Tigers.
Duran launched his 10th homer of the season as part of Texas' five-run eighth inning. He's hit safely in eight of 10 games with multiple hits in seven of them. During that stretch, Duran is batting .425/.439/.725 with four doubles, a triple, two home runs, three RBI, a stolen base and seven runs scored. The 24-year-old infielder/outfielder has a firm grasp on the left field job, a role that had been filled by a rotation of players when the season started.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Not starting Thursday
Rotowire
Duran isn't in the Rangers' lineup Thursday against the Angels.
Duran is just 1-for-11 with a home run during Texas' series with the Angels and will sit out Thursday's finale. Travis Jankowski will replace Duran in left field and bat eighth.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
Prior to his brief stint on the IL with oblique discomfort, Ezequiel Duran had established himself as a fixture in the Rangers lineup. It began with him filling in for an injured Corey Seager and continued with him picking up starts at DH and left field following Seager's return. Through it all, Duran hit for average and power, with data that fully backed up the production (he has a .298 xBA and .535 xSLG). The one thing missing from his game was even just a modicum of plate discipline. He had only four walks through 40 games. Well, now he's back from that oblique discomfort, and guess what? He already has four walks in three games. Better yet, he's 5 for 7. The dude is eligible at three positions, and like I said, the data backs up everything. Pick him up already.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Back in lineup Monday
Rotowire
Duran (tightness) will start in left field and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Cardinals.
Though the Rangers attributed Duran's absence from the lineup for Sunday's 12-3 win over the Mariners to unspecified tightness, the expectation was that the 24-year-old was receiving more of a maintenance day after he returned from the injured list to start in left field in Saturday's win. Now that he's healthy again following a brief stint on the IL, Duran should take back a near-everyday role in either left field or at designated hitter, given that he's produced an impressive .872 OPS in 147 plate appearances this season.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: On base three times in return
Rotowire
Duran started in left field and went 1-for-1 with two walks in Saturday's 16-6 win over the Mariners.
Duran was activated off the injured list, and the Rangers put his dangerous bat in the lineup. He slashed .301/.346/.921 with five home runs, five doubles, 11 RBI and 13 runs scored during the month of May before hitting the IL. He's in a crowded mix for at-bats in left field and at DH.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Activated, in lineup Saturday
Rotowire
Duran (oblique) was activated from the 10-day injured list Saturday.
Duran is starting in left field and batting eighth Saturday against the Mariners after making a swift recovery from a right oblique injury. The 24-year-old has put up an impressive .301/.340/.515 slash line with seven home runs and three stolen bases in 40 games (144 plate appearances) this season with the Rangers.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Heads to IL with oblique discomfort
Rotowire
The Rangers placed Duran on the 10-day injured list Saturday with mild right oblique discomfort.
Duran was already set to miss a third consecutive game Saturday in Baltimore due to the injury, and with his injury evidently being viewed as more than a day-to-day concern, the Rangers opted to deactivate him. The transaction is retroactive to Wednesday, meaning that the 24-year-old is eligible to return June 3. Josh Smith or the newly activated Travis Jankowski (hamstring) are the top candidates to replace Duran's spot in the Rangers' everyday lineup.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Remains out of lineup
Rotowire
Duran (rib) is not in the starting lineup Saturday versus the Orioles.
Duran will miss a third consecutive game as he nurses a rib injury. Manager Bruce Bochy said Saturday that a decision will be made in the next day or so regarding a potential stint on the injury list for the 24-year-old. Robbie Grossman will draw the start at designated hitter while Josh Smith remains in the lineup in left field, batting seventh against Baltimore.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Decision looming this weekend
Rotowire
The Rangers will continue to evaluate Duran (rib) over the weekend, Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Texas manager Bruce Bochy said he'll make a call "one way or another" Saturday or Sunday, which likely means a decision about Duran going on the injured list. Duran missed the last two games, clearing a path for Josh Smith to enter the starting lineup.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Dealing with rib soreness
Rotowire
Duran is absent from the lineup Wednesday against the Pirates as he nurses rib cage soreness, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Duran was replaced by Brad Miller at the plate in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 6-1 win, and now an explanation behind Duran's departure is known. The 23-year-old believes he's OK, so he can be considered day-to-day heading into the Rangers' series with Baltimore that begins Friday.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Breather Monday
Rotowire
Duran is not in the starting lineup Monday versus the Pirates.
Duran will get a day off after he went 5-for-9 with a homer, a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base over the three-game series with the Rockies. Duran has quickly become a regular in the Rangers' lineups, batting .314 with five home runs, five doubles, 11 RBI, 13 runs scored and a stolen base over 70 at-bats in 18 games in May. Josh Smith will take over at designated hitter and bat eighth in the series opener with Pittsburgh.
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Rangers' Ezequiel Duran: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
Duran did such a good job filling in for an injured Corey Seager that the Rangers are finding ways to keep him in the lineup even now that Seager is back, so far by having the two alternate between shortstop and designated hitter. In fact, Duran still has yet to sit out a game for the entire month of May, batting .336 (38 for 113) with seven homers, three steals and a .973 OPS in his past 30 games. Even if the Rangers need to free up their DH spot in the weeks ahead, they showed a willingness to play Duran in the outfield prior to Seager's injury, giving him eligibility there as well as at third base. If you've thus far passed up Duran's versatility and hot hitting, presuming Seager would eventually displace him, you should probably stop now.
