Rangers aren’t sure what to do with Tanner Scheppers

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Texas pushed Tanner Scheppers into its injury wrecked rotation, making him the Opening Day starter without any starting experience in the majors. He pitched horribly and then got hurt, and now that he’s close to being healthy again the Rangers can’t decide what to do with him.

Scheppers had a ton of success as a reliever last year, posting a 1.88 ERA in 77 innings, but the Rangers’ rotation remains wrecked by injuries and they could certainly use another quality starter in the mix. Of course, Scheppers had a 9.82 ERA in four starts while showing decreased velocity before being shut down with an elbow injury.

T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that the Rangers “are at least planning to stretch out Scheppers during his rehabilitation assignment so they have the option of bringing him back as a starter.” And for whatever it’s worth, Scheppers has said repeatedly that he prefers to be a starter.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.