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Matt Harrison’s Return Could Push Derek Holland To Bullpen And Kris Benson Out Of Rangers Plans

BOSTON - The Kris Benson Experiment hasn’t worked out as the Rangers or the starter-turned-reliever hoped.

It may soon come time to decide whether to forge ahead or end the project altogether.

If Matt Harrison returns to the rotation this week after a sharp, but short rehab outing, the Rangers could have some shuffling to do in their bullpen. Derek Holland would likely move back to the bullpen, manager Ron Washington indicated. That would create a logjam among the long relievers.

Benson, meanwhile, acknowledged Sunday that he still feels weird in his new role, that he’d liked to return to a starting rotation and that, yeah, he’s thought about asking for a release so he could try and catch on as a starter elsewhere.

For now, though, Benson’s sole goal is to improve as a relief pitcher. It has been no easy transition for the former overall No. 1 pick in the draft, who had been exclusively a starter until May.

“I’m kind of learning on the job,” said Benson, who has a 7.94 ERA in six relief outings (it is 8.46 overall). “I haven’t had a spring training to make the transition. I’m more comfortable than I was when I took the mound the first time, but it still feels a little weird.”

Benson, 34, said he is still struggling with the inactivity that comes along with being a long reliever. He has had spans of 12, six and five days between outings in the bullpen, though he has pitched twice this week.

As a starter, Benson said, he could work on command during bullpen sessions between outings. But relievers don’t throw bullpen sessions because they must be ready to pitch on a daily basis. That may have something to do with Benson’s seven walks and two hit batters in 11.1 relief innings.

On Saturday, he was called on after the Rangers fell behind 4-0 and allowed three walks and three hits in 2.1 innings. He was charged with four runs (three earned).

“His first innings, he seems to have some problem adjusting,” manager Ron Washington said. “But the second inning, he does better. More or less, this is like an experiment. Hopefully, it does get better.”

But, Washington allowed, when a long reliever enters the game, the club usually has no more margin for error. A rough first inning is of no help to the team using the long man.

This could all be decided by Thursday, if not sooner. Harrison threw 41 pitches in three innings of a rehab assignment for Double-A Frisco on Saturday. If the Rangers deem him capable of moving back into the starting rotation, its likely Holland would move back to the bullpen. Washington acknowledged as much Sunday. It is, however, possible the Rangers could want at least one more 75-80 pitch outing from Harrison before he is activated.

Such a move would, in all probability, leave the Rangers deciding between keeping Doug Mathis, who made his 2009 debut with a scoreless inning Friday, or extending the lab time on the Benson Experiment.

“If the time comes, when it comes, I’ve definitely got some opinions,” Benson said. “But I’ll keep them to myself until they make a decision. Right now, I’m just trying to stay in the big leagues and doing everything I can to do so.”