Geovany Soto is preparing to be a starting catcher for the first time as a Texas Ranger after the departure of A.J. Pierzynski, but right now, he's doing it on the mend and not on the fields in Surprise, Ariz.
Soto underwent a minor arthroscopic procedure on Saturday to remove a small bone in his foot that had recently been giving him problems, and on Wednesday set March 15 as a hopeful return date.
βI should have plenty of time [to get ready for the season],β Soto told ESPN Dallas. βEverything went well. Hopefully, here in a couple of days Iβll start working out in the gym on the bike.β
Soto, the former NL Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Cubs, is gearing up to be a No. 1 catcher again after serving in a backup capacity in Texas for the past season and a half since being acquired at the trade deadline in 2012.
He hit .245 with nine home runs and 22 RBIs last season in a No. 2 role behind Pierzynski, but did show a tendency to come up big in clutch situations, especially in the power department.
βI spent the whole offseason working out and getting better in every aspect β catching, hitting β and I came out here and spent a week and a half preparing myself,β Soto said. βItβs a minor setback, but starting March 15, I should have plenty of time.β
The Rangers open the regular season on March 31 at their newly named home of Globe Life Park against the Philadelphia Phillies.