The Rangers placed right-hander Willie Eyre on the 15-day disabled list with a right groin strain prior to their series finale against the Blue Jays on Thursday, and recalled right-hander Luis Mendoza from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his spot. Eyre, who’s given up three earned runs in 4 1/3 innings this season, pitched a scoreless frame on Wednesday night before exiting while facing his first batter of the 10th inning, after re-aggravating the groin injury. The 30-year-old right-hander opened this season on the DL with the same groin strain. Eyre also missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late 2007. Rangers manager Ron Washington said Eyre’s injury has proved tough because it was to the higher part of his groin, which is a difficult area to treat. “I think Willie will let us know when he’s ready, because you don’t mess with the groin,” Washington said. “Everything you do, the groin comes into play.” Mendoza joined the team in time for Thursday game’s and Washington said the pitcher will be used primarily out of long relief in the bullpen. The 25-year-old Mendoza has struggled with the Rangers during his two-year career, posting a 4-8 record with a 7.37 ERA. There is hope this season though, that Mendoza has left his past struggles behind. During Spring Training, Mendoza worked on developing his breaking and offspeed pitches, and the early results have been good. The Mexico native posted a 3.86 ERA through four games with the Rangers during Spring Training, before being optioned to their farm system on March 24.

Luis Mendoza left today’s game with a blister, but he reports that it’s not as bad as the one that sidelined him during spring training last year. He said he and the training staff drained the blister and found that there is only a minor cut. Mendoza said he plans to let it dry over not, not do anything on the off day Wednesday and then throw Thursday.

Rangers reliever Luis Mendoza had a far
better afternoon on Friday than starter Scott Feldman.
Mendoza needed it more. Mendoza has much work to do this
spring to make the Rangers either as a starter or a reliever,
but he was able to get off to a good start. Mendoza, taking
over after Feldman was knocked out in the second inning,
pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in the Rangers’ 10-4 loss to
the Cubs. “Mendoza threw the ball very well,” manager Ron
Washington said. “He just attacked the zone and [the hitters]
couldn’t center the ball.” Mendoza allowed one hit and walked
one batter in his first appearance in a Cactus League game.
“That happens when I keep the sinker down in the zone,”
Mendoza said. “Today I tried to keep my sinker down and use
my secondary pitches. My sinker is my best pitch, and today I
threw it for strikes and let them swing the bat.” Mendoza was
a big hit in last year’s camp, winning the spot in the
rotation that came open after Brandon McCarthy hurt his
elbow. Mendoza dazzled in the spring but came unraveled in
the regular season. A blister problem and inflammation in the
right shoulder brought him down in April, and he spent the
rest of the season shuttling between the rotation, bullpen,
Minor Leagues and Triple-A. He got a taste of all four while
going 3-8 with an 8.67 ERA in 25 games, including 2-6 with a
9.40 ERA in 11 starts. Mendoza needs to stay healthy. He
needs a better breaking ball to go with his sinker. He also
needs to throw strikes and have better mound poise and
confidence after last year’s travails. “He just needs to
throw the ball over the plate,” Washington said. “Last year,
he got in trouble not throwing the ball in the strike zone.
If he does that, he’ll be all right. Which he did today.” He
also needs a big spring to climb back above the Triple-A
breakpoint on the depth chart, either as a starter or a
reliever. “I don’t think about that,” Mendoza said. “It’s
another spring, everybody is trying to win a spot. This year
is harder because they have a lot of pitchers. Everybody is
fighting for a job. I need to work hard, and when I get a
chance to pitch, show them I can do it.”