RHP Tanner Scheppers (left knee surgery) has stretched out his long toss throwing regimen to 105 feet. He is hoping to throw off the mound in early June with the goal of a return after the All-Star break.

RHP Tanner Scheppers went on the 60-day disabled list Monday due to torn left knee cartilage.Scheppers, 29, posted a 4-1 record with a 5.63 ERA in 42 relief appearances in 2015. He was bothered by right ankle and left knee injuries during the season.

Texas Rangers right-handed relief pitcher Tanner Scheppers is expected to miss at least the first half of this season because he needs surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Saturday that Scheppers will have the operation on Wednesday. He experienced swelling in the knee after a bullpen session during the week.Scheppers went 4-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 42 appearances in 2015. He started last season in the minors after an ankle sprain slowed him down in spring training.After earning the start on Opening Day for the Rangers in 2014, he was limited to just 23 innings that season because of an elbow injury.

RHP Tanner Scheppers agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract on Friday. Scheppers posted a 4-1 record with a 5.63 ERA in 42 relief appearances in 2015. He was bothered by right ankle and left knee injuries during the season.

Scheppers suffered a cut on his right index finger Sunday and required five stitches, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Although the Rangers have yet to formally submit their ALDS roster, Scheppers will almost certainly be left off it, as the right-hander did not even travel with his teammates to Toronto for the start of the series. It seems Scheppers, who posted a 5.63 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 42 appearances this season, may have sustained the cut while partying after the team clinched the NL West on the final day of the regular season.

Scheppers was activated from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.

Scheppers has been dealing with his fair share of bumps and bruises of late, but should be available to pitch in long relief if needed Sunday afternoon. There's little fantasy value to find in that role.

Scheppers is with the Rangers and could be activated for Sunday's game, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson reports.

He is dealing with a knee issue and will test it out Saturday before the Rangers decide whether or not to activate him. He should pitch in mid-leverage situations out of the bullpen down the stretch.

Scheppers (knee) was activated from the disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday.

Scheppers struggled over 35 innings this season, allowing 22 runs on 34 hits and 21 walks. As a result, he's lost his spot on the 25-man roster following his activation. However, he could remain a candidate for a call-up in September.

Scheppers (knee) will begin his rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Frisco, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Scheppers' knee inflammation began affecting his performance before he was placed on the disabled list earlier in the month, but he has progressed well enough to set out on a rehab assignment. It's unclear how many rehab appearances he'll need to make before rejoining the Rangers.

Scheppers was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left knee inflammation Sunday, MLB.com reports.

Scheppers allowed two earned runs on three hits Saturday before recording an out, making it apparent that something just wasn't right following a month of July in which he posted a 6.97 ERA. He should return in time to help the Rangers make a bid for a Wild Card spot.

Scheppers was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

The Rangers elected to shake up their bullpen, dropping Kyuji Fujikawa from the 40-man roster and bringing Scheppers and Ross Ohlendorf aboard from Triple-A. After posting an impressive 1.88 ERA and 1.07 over 76.2 relief innings for the Rangers in 2013, Scheppers has fallen on some tougher times. He struggled in his five bullpen appearances with the big club earlier this season and will probably have to prove himself in low-leverage spots before manager Jeff Banister begins to rely on him more.

Scheppers was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Monday, Rangers VP of Comm. John Blake reports.

Scheppers has struggled mightily in five appearances this season, working to an 11.25 ERA with four strikeouts and four walks. The move still comes as a surprise as Scheppers was expected to fill a setup role for the Rangers this year. Alex Claudio was recalled Monday in a corresponding move and will slot into the big league bullpen.

Scheppers was awful Sunday, walking three of the four batters he faced in the eighth inning while trying to protect a four-run lead.

All three of those runners came in to score, and the Rangers ultimately blew the lead in the ninth inning. Part of the problem was that Neftali Feliz was required to come into the game in the eighth and had to throw extra pitches. Scheppers is supposed to be the Rangers' eighth-inning guy, but this was not promising.

Scheppers picked up his first hold of the season, allowing a run on two hits in an eventual 3-1 win over the Mariners on Friday.

Scheppers came off the DL earlier in the week and has jumped back into his role as the primary setup man for closer Neftali Feliz.

Scheppers (ankle) was activated from the 15-day disabled list Monday, John Blake of the Rangers' official website reports.

Given the Rangers' lack of impressive bullpen arms, Scheppers figures to get most of his work in the seventh and eighth innings. If Neftali Feliz falters in the closer's role, Scheppers should be one of the first options to take over the ninth inning.

Scheppers (ankle) will be activated from the DL on Friday, MLB.com's TR Sullivan reports.

Fortunately, given his injury history, Scheppers is returning from an ankle injury and not an arm or shoulder injury. He should slot into a semi-high leverage role in the Rangers' bullpen. Back in 2013 he had a 1.88 ERA in 76.2 relief innings, although his K-rate was below average for a reliever.

Scheppers will not make anymore rehab appearances before being activated, Anthony Andro of FoxSports Southwest reports.

The club doesn't plan to activate Scheppers Monday, but it appears he's nearing a return. The 28-year-old has been sidelined with an ankle issue since the spring and has apparently received enough work to not need any more rehab appearances.

Scheppers (ankle) will begin the season on the 15-day DL, the Dallas Morning News reports.

The team has a number of untested but live arms in the bullpen, but Scheppers once again begins a season less than 100 percent.

Scheppers (ankle) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

Scheppers is expected to begin the season on the disabled list this season, but it's a good sign that he's progressing. If all goes well in his recovery, he remains in line to serve as the setup man in front of Neftali Feliz, with a possible shot at the closing role should Feliz get injured or falter.

Scheppers (ankle) underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed no structural damage, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.

Scheppers is still unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, but the results of the MRI are encouraging nonetheless and will allow him to resume throwing in the near future. The 28-year-old could begin the season on the disabled list which would sideline him until at least April 11, but he's expected to fill in as the team's primary setup man when he returns to full health.