Rangers Call Up Willie Calhoun, Key Piece In Darvish Trade
ARLINGTON (105.3 The Fan) - The Rangers have called up the centerpiece in the Yu Darvish trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Willie Calhoun will get a chance to help the club get to the postseason over the final 19 games of the season.
The Rangers No.2 prospect announced on twitter late Monday that he was on the way to Dallas and the club confirmed the news on Tuesday morning.
Calhoun tore up Triple-A pitching between Oklahoma City (Dodgers affiliate) and Round Rock (Rangers affiliate) this season. He hit .300 with 31 home runs and had 93 RBI in 486 at-bats.
The left-handed hitter was traded to Texas at the MLB trade deadline on August 1. Since the deal, Calhoun had an immediate impact on the Express, including a stretch where he hit four home runs in his first five games with the club.
When the calendar turned September, it didn't appear that the second baseman/left fielder would be called up. However, injuries to Adrian Beltre, Mike Napoli, Nomar Mazara, Carlos Gomez and Rougned Odor have created a path for the slugger to get to the show. Calhoun is likely slated to get at-bats at designated hitter and left field while he's up with the big league club. Left field is where the Rangers want Calhoun to play primarily after he was a second baseman for the most part in the Dodgers system.
