Evan

Carter

Carter entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning where he reached on an infield single and came around to score on an RBI knock by Alejandro Osuna. He then crushed a 422-foot (104.4-mph EV) solo shot off of Kyle Finnegan in the eighth inning that increased the Rangers’ lead to 10-4. With his two-hit attack, the 23-year-old outfielder is now slashing .186/.295/.338 with seven homers, 22 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 241 plate appearances on the year.

On the day that the Rangers lose Wyatt Langford (hamstring) to the injured list, they at least get reinforcements in the return of Carter. The 23-year-old outfielder had been shelved since June 13 due to a right oblique strain. He’ll start in center field and bat seventh against Blue Jays’ right-hander Shane Bieber on Sunday afternoon in Toronto.

Carter clobbered a leadoff homer and reached base safely in all three of his plate appearances during his rehab debut. He also logged five innings in center field. The 23-year-old will likely get a couple additional contests under his belt to get back up to speed before returning to the Rangers lineup. He’s been out with a minor right oblique strain since mid-June.

No word on the severity of the strain, which will determine how much time Carter misses. The 23-year-old suffered the injury while making a phenomenal diving catch in shallow center field during Friday’s series opener against the Red Sox. There should be a definitive return timetable at some point later this weekend.

It sounded like a precautionary move when Carter left Friday’s contest in the fifth inning following a phenomenal defensive play in left field the prior inning. He’ll undergo further evaluation and possibly imaging this weekend to determine the severity of the issue. The 23-year-old was 0-for-2 at the dish prior to leaving the contest at Fenway Park.

Carter returns to patrolling center field following a brief two-game absence after being hit by a pitch on the left foot during last Friday’s game. The 23-year-old underwent X-rays that came back negative for any fractures, but needed a couple days off for the pain and swelling to subside.

Carter hasn’t played since exiting Friday’s game after being hit on the foot by a pitch from Eli Morgan. He was able to avoid any fractures, but it still dealing with a bit of soreness and swelling. He should return to the lineup in another day or two. Michael Helman will once again start in his place in center field and will bat ninth against Royals’ right-hander Michael Wacha.

Carter is out of the lineup for Saturday’s showdown at Globe Life Field and will undergo imaging to determine whether he suffered any fractures when he was hit on the back foot by a slider from Guardians reliever Eli Morgan. He managed to remain in the contest after the incident, which is somewhat encouraging. An update on his status should come later this weekend.

Carter takes a seat against righty Seth Lugo with Michael Helman getting an opportunity in center field. The 23-year-old former top prospect has been struggling for a couple weeks, batting .136 (12-for-88) with three homers and five steals over his last 30 games.

The Rangers exploded for eight runs in the first tonight and then held on to win as the Astros kept threatening. Carter had a two-run triple in the first and added a little insurance with his homer in the sixth. There’s still some hope for him turning into a useful mixed-league outfielder, but it hinges on him establishing himself in the top half of the Rangers’ lineup and the team as a whole producing more offensively. Carter is at .178/.293/.350 to date, but he has eight steals in eight attempts. He’s 27-for-29 stealing bases in 644 plate appearances as a major leaguer.