Kyle Higashioka DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Texas Rangers reinstated catcher Kyle Higashioka (intercostal) from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, according to the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant. The Rangers haven't released their starting lineup for Tuesday's contest against the visiting Colorado Rockies yet, so fantasy managers will want to check back before throwing Higgy back into their starting lineups. The 35-year-old veteran backstop played in only two minor-league rehab games and will return to split duties behind the plate with Jonah Heim in Texas. Higashioka broke out with the San Diego Padres in 2024 for a career year with 17 home runs and 45 RBI, but he hit just .220 and won't have nearly as much fantasy value in Texas as he splits playing time essentially down the middle with Heim. He'll return to a .254/.279/.390 slash line with just one homer and eight RBI in 17 games played this year.

The Texas Rangers have placed catcher Kyle Higashioka (ribs) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a mild left-intercostal strain. Higashioka was held out of action on Wednesday due to a reported hamstring injury, but it appears the backstop also has an upper-body injury as well. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his status while he remains sidelined. Before his injury, Higashioka was splitting catching duties with Jonah Heim. Across 17 games this season, Higashioka posted a .254/.279/.390 slash line with five doubles and one home run. Under the hood, he generated a modest .310 xwOBA but only struck out at a 16.4 percent rate. While he remains sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Heim to see the vast majority of opportunities behind the dish.

Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka (hamstring) is managing a hamstring injury. Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reported that the backstop may need an IL stint but is currently day-to-day. Earlier on Wednesday, the Rangers added veteran backstop Tucker Barnhart to the active roster, which suggests Higashioka may miss a period of time. Over his last five games, Higashioka has begun to heat up at the plate, as he has gone 5-for-19 with two doubles and three RBI. Through 17 games this season, the 35-year-old has posted a .254/.279/.390 slash line with just one home run. Under the hood, Higashioka has generated a modest .310 xwOBA but has shown a strong eye at the plate as he has only struck out 16.4 percent of the time. If he were to miss time, Jonah Heim would see the majority of starts behind the dish.