Rangers trade catchers with Tigers after losing weekend series finale to Blue Jays

The Texas Rangers traded backup catchers with the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, hours after losing 7-3 in their weekend series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Rangers acquired Carson Kelly from the Tigers in exchange for catcher Liam Hicks and right-handed pitcher Tyler Owens.

Kelly, 30, has batted. 240 with seven home runs and 29 RBI in 60 games for Detroit this season. He has made 52 starts for the Tigers and has thrown out 17 of 59 attempted base stealers.

The Chicago, Ill. native was originally selected by St. Louis in the 2nd round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of Westview (Portland, Or.) High School and has batted .224 (333-1489) with 52 home runs, two triples, 66 doubles, and 199 RBI over parts of nine Major League seasons with St. Louis (2016-18), Arizona (2019-23), and Detroit (2023-24). Since 2019, the backstop’s 10.1% walk rate ranks 8th among qualified MLB catchers, while his 3404.0 innings caught behind the plate are 12th most in all of baseball in that span.

The 23-year-old Owens has gone 2-0 with eight saves and a 2.80 ERA in 26 relief appearances for Double-A Frisco this season in his first year with the Texas organization. He was acquired from Atlanta in a January 26, 2024, trade that sent outfielder J.P. Martinez to the Braves.

Hicks, 25, has batted .260 with four home runs and 33 RBI over 80 games with Frisco (AA) in 2024. He has spent his entire career in the Texas organization since being selected in the 9th round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

Following today’s transactions, the Rangers are at the 40-man limit on the club’s Major League roster, along with seven players on the 60-day Injured List: Cody Bradford, Carson Coleman, Jacob deGrom, Josh Jung, Tyler Mahle, Austin Pruitt, Cole Winn.

Blue Jays beat Rangers

Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer and the host Toronto Blue Jays took advantage of a depleted Texas Rangers pitching staff for a 7-3 victory on Sunday afternoon.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a solo homer and two RBIs to extend his hit streak to nine games for the Blue Jays, who swept the three-game series to complete a 5-4 homestand.

Josh Smith hit a two-run homer and Corey Seager added three hits for Texas.

Texas starter Jon Gray did not make a pitch. He was removed with a groin injury during his warmup. Jonathan Hernandez (3-1) took his place and allowed five runs, five hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings.

Texas got only two-thirds of an inning from starter Michael Lorenzen on Saturday in a 7-3 loss. Lorenzen pitched four innings on Sunday as a reliever.

Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios (9-8) allowed one run and six hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.

After being pressed into service, Hernandez walked Spencer Horwitz to open the first. Ernie Clement doubled and Guerrero hit a sacrifice fly. Varsho hit a two-out blast to right for his 13th homer of the season.

Guerrero stroked his 19th homer of the season on a drive to right center with one out in the third. After Justin Turner’s infield hit, Jacob Latz replaced Hernandez and walked Varsho. Addison Barger hit a two-run double.

Texas scored once in the sixth. Wyatt Langford doubled with one out on a drive that sent center fielder Kevin Kiermaier crashing into the wall and he scored on Nathaniel Lowe’s two-out single.

Lorenzen allowed a run in the home sixth. Alejandro Kirk and Kiermaier singled and Leo Jimenez hit a sacrifice fly. Kiermaier, feeling the effects of his collision with the wall, was replaced by pinch runner Steward Berroa.

Genesis Cabrera allowed two runs in the eighth when Seager singled and Smith hit his 11th homer. Cabrera allowed two more hits before being replaced by Zach Pop, who also pitched a perfect ninth to earn his first save.

Texas dropped to 51-55. The Rangers begin a three-game series in St. Louis on Monday night.

Field Level Media and the Texas Rangers contributed to this report.