Rangers Recall Joe Ross, Designate Michel Otañez After Roster Move

The Texas Rangers made a swift adjustment to their pitching group on June 13, selecting right-hander Joe Ross from Triple-A Round Rock and designating fellow righty Michel Otañez for assignment. The move reshaped the club’s 26-man roster, with the Rangers optioning right-hander Luis Curvelo to Round Rock to create space for Ross.

Ross’s return gives the Rangers another experienced arm in the big leagues, while also indicating that Texas wanted immediate depth at the right-handed spot. As described in the team’s transaction reporting, Ross was recalled from the minors rather than acquired through a trade, meaning the club is tightening its internal pitching rotation with a known organizational option.

Otañez’s designation for assignment is the corresponding roster consequence. When a player is placed on waivers after being designated for assignment, the team typically evaluates whether the player can be claimed by another club, returned to the organization under certain conditions, or removed from the roster entirely. The designation itself does not end the player’s time with the team, but it does place him in a short window with uncertain outcomes.

To complete the shuffle, the Rangers optioned Luis Curvelo to Round Rock. Optioning a player clears the major-league roster spot without ending his season in the organization, and it also keeps the Rangers’ depth available for later recall. In practical terms, Texas used one internal demotion (Curvelo) to finance one internal promotion (Ross), then moved Otañez through the DFA process.

The Rangers’ bullpen and late-inning availability often drive these kinds of mid-season roster decisions, especially when teams look to match innings needs with specific pitcher profiles. While the transaction does not, by itself, explain performance reasons, it does indicate the Rangers are actively managing their staff by balancing MLB usage with Triple-A options.

For Ross, the next step is straightforward: he now must fit into Texas’s near-term pitching plans from the moment he returns to the active roster. For Otañez, the focus shifts to waivers and what other teams might be willing to take a chance on during the DFA period. Curvelo, meanwhile, returns to Round Rock with the expectation of being ready if the Rangers seek another recall later in the season.

Texas fans should watch the club’s subsequent roster transactions, particularly whether Otañez is claimed, returned, or eventually removed from the 40-man picture. The Rangers could also follow this recall with additional bullpen tinkering if the pitching staff usage requires further changes in the coming weeks.