ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The Texas Rangers have a much-changed roster for their second consecutive AL Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
There are 13 players on the Rangers’ 25-man active roster that weren’t part of the 2015 ALDS. The playoff roster was released hours before Game 1 on Thursday.
Manager Jeff Banister went with seven relief pitchers to back starter Cole Hamels, six of whom have pitched multiple innings in games this season. Relievers Tony Barnette, Matt Bush and Jeremy Jeffress are in their first seasons with Texas.
Game 2 starter Yu Darvish missed the postseason last year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Left-handed starter Derek Holland, who has pitched in eight postseason series, including the World Series twice, was left off the roster.
Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo is on the postseason roster, and was in the starting lineup batting ninth for the series opener. Choo was on the disabled list four times this season, and missed 39 games with a broken left forearm before returning for the final three games of the regular season.
Speedy outfielder Jared Hoying was part of the playoff roster over Delino DeShields, who was the leadoff hitter for the Rangers in last year’s ALDS as a rookie.
Texas acquired catcher Jonathan Lucroy and designated hitter Carlos Beltran in Aug. 1 trades and added outfielder Carlos Gomez in mid-August.
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