With Lincecum's 30-day rehab assignment coming to an end Monday, the Rangers opted to cut him loose rather than make room for him on their active and 40-man roster. The decision was likely made easier by the 6.17 ERA Lincecum posted over 11.2 innings on his rehab assignment. He'll look to latch on elsewhere, though at this point it's tough to see him making an impact at the major-league level again.

The Rangers don't appear to be ready to bring Lincecum up to the majors. The right-hander has a 6.17 ERA over 11.2 innings and has allowed 1.89 baserunners per inning. Manager Jeff Banister said the report he received indicated good fastball command, but the velocity is down and his secondary stuff needs work. Come Monday, the Rangers will need to activate him, ask him to remain on the disabled list indefinitely, request a minor-league assignment, or offer him his release.

Lincecum's health no longer seems to be much of a concern since he has already logged eight rehab appearances at Triple-A Round Rock, but his poor performance in those outings has delayed the Rangers from adding him onto the active roster. The right-hander has given up eight runs on 13 hits and seven walks over 9.2 innings at Round Rock while showcasing diminished velocity, providing little optimism that he'll be able to find much success against major-league hitters. He may need to string together several quality performances in a row in the Pacific Coast League before he returns to the majors for the first time since 2016.

There is still no timetable for Lincecum, who is 0-1 with a 7.11 ERA over five minor-league appearances. Manager Jeff Banister was pleased with Thursday's performance, when Lincecum got up to 28 pitches (16 strikes), but maintains the right-hander will remain on the disabled list until he can throw three innings.