The Texas Rangers made a significant roster move on Sunday, trading backup catchers with the Detroit Tigers just hours after their 7-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in the weekend series finale. The Rangers acquired Carson Kelly from the Tigers in exchange for catcher Liam Hicks and right-handed pitcher Tyler Owens.

Kelly, 30, has had a solid season with Detroit, batting .240 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs over 60 games. 

He has started 52 games for the Tigers and has thrown out 17 of 59 attempted base stealers. Originally drafted by St. Louis in the second round of the 2012 MLB Draft from Westview High School in Portland, Oregon, Kelly has accumulated a .224 average, 52 home runs, two triples, 66 doubles, and 199 RBIs in parts of nine MLB seasons with St. Louis (2016-18), Arizona (2019-23), and Detroit (2023-24). Since 2019, his 10.1% walk rate ranks 8th among qualified MLB catchers, and he has caught the 12th most innings behind the plate during that span.

Owens, a 23-year-old right-hander, has performed well in Double-A Frisco this season, with a 2-0 record, eight saves, and a 2.80 ERA in 26 relief appearances. 

He joined the Rangers organization from Atlanta in a trade that sent outfielder J.P. Martinez to the Braves in January 2024. Hicks, 25, has played 80 games with Frisco this season, batting .260 with four home runs and 33 RBIs. He has been with the Rangers organization since being drafted in the 9th round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

Following these transactions, the Rangers have reached the 40-man limit on their Major League roster, with seven players currently on the 60-day Injured List: Cody Bradford, Carson Coleman, Jacob deGrom, Josh Jung, Tyler Mahle, Austin Pruitt, and Cole Winn.

In the game against the Blue Jays, Daulton Varsho hit a two-run homer, and the Blue Jays capitalized on a depleted Texas pitching staff to secure a 7-3 victory. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contributed with a solo homer and two RBIs, extending his hit streak to nine games. 

The Blue Jays completed a three-game sweep and finished a 5-4 homestand. For the Rangers, Josh Smith hit a two-run homer, and Corey Seager had three hits.

Texas starter Jon Gray did not pitch due to a groin injury sustained during warm-ups, and Jonathan Hernandez (3-1) took over, allowing five runs, five hits, and a walk in 2 1/3 innings. 

Michael Lorenzen, who pitched only two-thirds of an inning on Saturday, was used as a reliever on Sunday, pitching four innings. Toronto’s Jose Berrios (9-8) allowed one run and six hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.

Hernandez, pressed into service, walked Spencer Horwitz to start the game. Ernie Clement doubled, and Guerrero hit a sacrifice fly before Varsho’s two-out blast. Guerrero hit his 19th home run of the season in the third inning, and Barger’s two-run double followed. 

Texas scored once in the sixth inning when Wyatt Langford doubled and scored on Nathaniel Lowe’s single. Lorenzen allowed a run in the sixth, and Cabrera allowed two runs in the eighth, including Smith’s 11th homer. Zach Pop completed the game with a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save.