MLB Notes: Rangers coach Steve Buechele misses game for QB son’s Texas debut

Texas Rangers bench coach Steve Buechele missed the team’s series finale against Houston on Sunday for the football opener at the University of Texas, where his son Shane is a true freshman quarterback in an opening game against Notre Dame.

Steve Buechele was at the Rangers’ ballpark before the game, but then left for a short flight to make kickoff that night in Austin, Texas.

“Yeah, I’d say there is some anxiousness for sure,” Buechele said. “I know it’s going to be wild, I don’t know really what to expect. This is new for us. It’s going to be pretty exciting and a pretty proud moment for mom and dad.”

Rangers manager Jeff Banister wanted to make sure that his bench coach had a chance to be there with the rest of his family for his son’s first college game. Banister said he woke up Sunday a Texas fan. That was a day after No. 15th-ranked Houston, where he played baseball, beat No. 3 Oklahoma.

“It’s important for him and his family and his son for him to be there,” Banister said. “It’s important for us, too. I’ll share in the excitement also. I guarantee you every coach in that room will be a UT fan tonight, every one of them. They’ll all be Texas fans tonight.”

Dodgers ace Kershaw returns

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to pitch Friday at Miami after spending more than two months on the disabled list with a herniated disk.

Manager Dave Roberts says Kershaw won’t have a specific pitch count, but the team will be looking at the big picture with the playoffs coming up next month. The Dodgers lead the N.L. West by three games over San Francisco.

Kershaw dominated in his lone rehab start at Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday night. He allowed only an infield hit, struck out five and walked none. He threw 35 pitches in the game and another 15 in the bullpen to reach his 50-pitch limit.

“Clayton texted me a couple of times and told me he’s excited,” Roberts said Sunday. “It will be a big lift for the guys.”

Padres release Ramirez

The San Diego Padres released veteran shortstop Alexei Ramirez before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ramirez, who turns 35 on Sept. 22, hit .240 with five homers and 41 RBIs in 128 games with San Diego this year, starting 109 games at shortstop, three in right field and one at designated hitter.

The last-place Padres signed Ramirez as a free agent this past offseason. He played his first eight years with the White Sox, batting .273 with 109 homers.

Indians fan struck by foul ball

A female fan was taken from the stands after being hit in the face by a foul ball during Sunday’s game between the Miami Marlins and Cleveland Indians.

The ball hit by Cleveland’s Lonnie Chisenhall in the bottom of the fourth inning skipped over the top of Miami’s dugout behind first base and struck the woman, who was quickly assisted by other fans and Progressive Field personnel.

The woman held a towel on her nose as she walked with assistance to a medical station in the ballpark.

Chisenhall and several other players looked on in concern, and a towel from the Marlins dugout was handed into the stands.

The game was delayed for about five minutes.