Jon Niese: Cut loose by Texas

Niese (shoulder) was released by the Rangers on Friday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

Niese is expected to be sidelined for the next 4-to-6 weeks due to a shoulder strain, so it was highly unlikely that he would make the team out of camp as things stood. The Rangers opted to simply cut ties with the veteran, leaving him to rehab on his own. He'll likely need to prove he's healthy before he can land another contract. Niese didn't pitch an inning for the Rangers, but he does hold a 4.07 ERA in his nine-year big-league career.