The Texas Rangers placed catcher Danny Jansen on the injured list with a right forearm strain on Saturday. The team also signed veteran backstop Elias Díaz to a major league contract to address the lack of depth at the position.
Jansen felt the injury after catching Jacob deGrom’s start in St. Louis on June 1. He did not recover well after entering as a defensive replacement the next day and underwent scans that revealed elbow inflammation. The 31-year-old Jansen, who signed a two-year deal with the Rangers this offseason, has hit .171 in 41 games this season while making 36 starts behind the plate. Manager Skip Schumaker said the team hopes the issue was caught early. He noted Jansen would be out for a few days and that Díaz provides veteran experience in case Jansen cannot play immediately. Díaz, 35, was designated for assignment by the Royals on May 22 before electing free agency. He appeared in 10 games for Kansas City this season and has played 12 major league seasons across four teams.