Texas Rangers Demote Keone Kela as Punishment

The Texas Rangers decision to send Keone Kela to the minors came as quite a surprise. It turns out they had their reasons for making such a move.

Keone Kela emerged as a key part of the Texas Rangers bullpen in 2015. That year, he posted a stellar 2.39 ERA and a 1.160 WHiP, notching 22 holds and striking out 68 batters in 60.1 innings. At just 22 years old, he looked like someone that would be a fixture in the Rangers bullpen for years to come.

However, last year, Kela struggled. Dealing with a bone spur in his elbow, he posted a woeful 6.09 ERA and a 1.382 WHiP, despite striking out 45 batters in 34 innings. Following surgery to remove that chip, the Rangers expected Kela to be back to his 2015 form.

As such, it was a surprise when Kela was sent down to AAA Round Rock to start the season. The reason for the demotion, at the time, was vaguely listed as “clubhouse culture,” indicating that something had happened. Today, it was learned that Kela’s demotion came from his conduct during a recent B game, which angered several veteran players.

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The exact details of what happened were not made available, but it was certainly severe enough to warrant action. This is not a permanent move obviously, but rather a disciplinary action intended to teach Kela the importance of being a professional and how to maintain his composure.

Naturally, this move was noticed throughout the game. The Rangers have received several calls from teams looking to acquire Kela, but he is not on the trade block. Indeed, he is still considered a key part of the Rangers present and future, even if his 2017 season will be delayed a bit.

Hopefully, this demotion serves as a wakeup call to Kela that his actions, whatever they were, will not be tolerated. Watching the Rangers, it is obvious that they have a close knit clubhouse, and anything that could disrupt that will be dealt with harshly. Kela is learning that lesson the hard way.

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Keone Kela will still be a part of the Texas Rangers plans this season, but it will be later in the year. Until he shows a change in attitude, Kela will be in Round Rock, toiling in the minors while he gets his act together.