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Rangers Insider: Injury rehab updates

How could the Rangers improve their pitching staff? The trade market appears to be crowded with teams looking to add pitching, which could mean the best move the Rangers can make is to wait for their injured pitchers to get healthy.

Four notable names pitched at two different levels of the Rangers' minor league system Friday.

Right-hander Tommy Hunter (groin) continued a suspended game for Triple-A Round Rock, and he was charged with the loss. In total, he worked four innings and allowed six runs (all earned), nine hits, one walk and four strikeouts. Two of the runs came on a home run. He threw 76 pitches and 49 were for strikes.

In the regularly scheduled game, right-handed reliever Darren O’Day (hip) pitched a scoreless inning with one hit allowed and one strikeout. He needed 24 pitches (17 strikes) to get through the inning.

For Double-A Frisco, righty Brandon Webb (shoulder) started for Double-A Frisco. He pitched five innings and took the loss. Webb allowed four runs (all earned), six hits, walked two and struck out four. Two of the runs scored on a home run. Webb threw 77 pitches; 53 were strikes.

Right-hander Tanner Scheppers (back) pitched the final two innings of that Frisco game. He did not allow a run, a hit or a walk and struck out one. He also needed 25 pitches (16 strikes) for those two innings.

Righty Scott Feldman (right knee) is scheduled to pitch for Round Rock on Saturday.

Hunter, Feldman and O’Day are closest to being major-league ready. O’Day, of course, would be a bullpen addition. Manager Ron Washington said on the Rangers radio pregame show Friday that the roles for Hunter and Feldman in the major leagues are unknown.