Texas Rangers pitcher Keone Kela is dealing with shoulder stiffness that has the team giving him a “break” right now, according to Gerry Fraley. Kela, who spent time on the disabled list last season due to shoulder issues, hasn’t pitched since Monday, and Fraley says there’s not an established date when he will pitch again.
Kela is one of the pitchers vying for the currently unclaimed closer role this season, though the shoulder issue could complicate things for him. If his workload is going to have to be monitored, or if the team is going to want to avoid having him pitch on back-to-back days, that will likely mean he’ll be slotted for a setup role rather than being the designated ninth inning guy.