Yang heads back to minors as Park rejoins the Pirates

Yang Hyeon-jong of the Texas Rangers follows through on his delivery to the Houston Astros in the seventh inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas on Aug. 28. [AP/YONHAP]

Yang Hyeon-jong's brief return to the big leagues has come to an end, with the Korean southpaw sent back down to the minors after throwing just two innings for the Texas Rangers in a single game on Aug. 28.

Yang made his first appearance in 78 days on a big league mound against the Houston Astros, giving up three hits with one walk and one strikeout in two innings pitched. His ERA now stands at 5.23.

Yang was called back up to the majors after spending the best part of three months with minor league club Round Rock Express. Yang joined the Rangers on a minor league contract this season, was called up in late April and then sent down again in June after a difficult few starts.

His return to the big leagues came amid a Covid-19 outbreak that had crippled the Rangers' 40-man squad. The club on Tuesday reactivated Jonah Heim from the Covid-19 injured list, sending Yang down to free up his space.

While Yang heads down, Pittsburgh Pirates utility man Park Hoy-jun was called back up to the majors after spending a little over a week in the minors.

Park, who made his major league debut on July 16 before joining the Pirates at the end of that month, was sent down on Aug. 23 after failing to pick up a single hit in 20 at-bats. His return to the squad comes as Michael Chavis is placed on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow strain.

After one month with the Pirates, Park has a .190 ERA with 12 hits and five RBIs including a home run in 63 at-bats.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]