The Texas Rangers claimed outfielder Dairon Blanco off waivers from the Kansas City Royals and placed left-hander Jordan Montgomery on the 60-day injured list to make room on the roster. Blanco, 32, was designated for assignment by Kansas City last week after batting .257 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs over four major league seasons.

A speedy outfielder, Blanco has stolen 59 bases in 73 attempts and holds the major league record with 64 appearances as a pinch runner since 2022. He hit .253 with 32 stolen bases for Triple-A Omaha last season. The Rangers signed Montgomery to a one-year deal last month as he recovers from his second elbow reconstruction surgery.

Montgomery, a key member of the Rangers' 2023 World Series championship team, went 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 regular-season games after being acquired at the trade deadline. He won two games in the AL Championship Series, including the decisive Game 7 against Houston, before signing with the Diamondbacks and struggling to an 8-7 record with a 6.23 ERA in 2024.