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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Former Chicago Cubs pitcher Randy Wells has retired after going winless in five starts this season for the Texas Rangers' Triple-A team.

The Rangers said Tuesday that Wells' retirement was effectively immediately.

In 98 career games in the majors from 2008-12, all but one with the Cubs, Wells was 28-32 with a 4.08 ERA. He was 1-2 in 12 games last season for Chicago, but became a free agent after refusing a minor league assignment.

The 30-year-old Wells went to spring training with the Rangers as a non-roster invitee. The right-hander was 0-4 with a 6.08 ERA for Round Rock.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels says Wells indicated he "just didn't have the same level of desire" to pitch any more.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Struggling prospects Mike Olt and Cody Buckel began their search Tuesday for what's behind their shockingly poor starts to the season.

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Olt, the Rangers' second-highest ranked prospect behind shortstop Jurickson Profar, saw team doctors Tuesday after informing club officials he was having issues with his vision. It could be as simple as the Triple-A Round Rock infielder needing contacts or glasses, general manager Jon Daniels said, or it could be something more. Daniels didn't have a diagnosis for Olt before the Rangers' game Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox.

Buckel, a right-handed pitcher who has been having issues with his control at Double-A Frisco, was moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen Tuesday. Buckel, the club's eighth-best prospect, has 25 walks in 18 innings. He had three walks and didn't record an out in his most recent start, against Corpus Christi on Saturday.

Olt's vision problems might help explain why he's off to a dismal start. Olt, a career .282 hitter in the minors entering the season, entered Tuesday batting .139 in 72-bats and has one home run after tying for the Texas League lead with 28 home runs last year.

"It would make sense if that's what has developed," Daniels said Tuesday.

Buckel heads to the bullpen after not pitching more than three innings in his five starts this season. He had a season-high six walks in three innings at San Antonio on April 22 and has walked at least five in three other starts.

Buckel will take up some innings in what has been a dominant bullpen in Frisco. But Daniels said the club thought it was better that Buckel sort things out in Double-A rather than at extended spring training.

"It's nothing physical with Cody," Daniels said. "He's been scuffling all season."

Both Olt's and Buckel's names came up in trade talks during the offseason.

Other Rangers notes:

Baker in, Murphy out: Jeff Baker got the start in left field against White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana, giving struggling starter David Murphy an extra day off. Murphy, batting .176 with two home runs, has a track record that says he will get his bat going.

"He's missing pitches that he usually gets," manager Ron Washington said.

Murphy and third baseman Adrian Beltre both have started slow. Beltre is batting .221 with four home runs and only nine RBIs.

"You know their track record is there," Washington said. "You just have to be patient."

More on Beltre: Beltre said Tuesday that he's not concerned with his slow start, noting he always has been a warm-weather player. Beltre is batting .107 with runners in scoring position.

"I know I'm going to be OK," Beltre said. "I would say I've been average. There hasn't been a time when I've felt great and there's not a period where I've felt terrible."

Randy Wells retires: Veteran pitcher Randy Wells, who has been at Triple-A Round Rock, has retired, Daniels said Tuesday. Daniels said the 30-year-old Wells told club officials that he didn't have the same level of desire for the game.

It's Joseph Ortiz: The Rangers said Tuesday that reliever Joe Ortiz has been asked to be called Joseph Ortiz from this point forward. Ortiz has allowed runs in his past three appearances, but the Rangers didn't provide that as the reason he is going with Joseph.

SURPRISE, Ariz.--The number of candidates for the Rangers No. 5 starter job was reduced by two Friday morning, as RHP Justin Grimm was optioned to Round Rock (AAA) and RHP Randy Wells was reassigned to minor league camp.

That leaves Friday's starter Nick Tepesch, as the last official in-house candidate remaining. The rookie right-hander is scheduled to throw six innings with a 90-pitch limit against the Colorado Rockies at Surprise Stadium.

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While no one is saying it out loud, today's outing will go a long way in determining if Tepesch can be the final man in the starting rotation when spring training breaks.

"I'm not talking about the No. 5 starter yet until I am ready to announce it," manager Ron Washington said. "He (Tepesch) is still fighting for the No. 5 but that is all I'll say."

The ascension of Tepesch this spring has been one of the feel-good underdog stories of camp. The 24-year old was initially seen as a dark horse for this slot as he entered his first major league training camp as a non-roster invitee and little was known about him. All he has done is pitch well, showing poise beyond his experience.

With another strong outing Friday, he will greatly improve his chances to go from unknown to major league pitcher.

"I'm just trying to go about my business everyday and learn as much as I can," Tepesch said. "I feel like it's been a good camp so far."

In four spring outings, Tepesch has allowed five earned runs in 13 innings with 10 strikeouts. He was stingy during his first three appearances but gave up three runs in five innings in his last start Sunday against the Cubs in Las Vegas.

"I felt strong last time, throwing five and my body felt strong afterwards," Tepesch said. "I even felt like I could have gone a few more."

In the meantime, the Rangers will continue to stretch out Derek Lowe. The 39-year old, who was signed as a free agent to a minor-league deal March 6, is not being called an official candidate but is being used as such.

Lowe gave up six runs in 3.2 innings Thursday night, after trying to pitch four innings on two-days rest. He was sharp in the first three innings before wearing down. Washington said they hope to get six out of Lowe when he makes his next start.

"We have time to continue to stretch him out," Washington said. "That is our intention. He is on an accelerated program. Because of his experience, he is handling that accelerated program pretty good."

The Rangers haven't ruled out looking outside the organization for their answer at the No. 5 slot either.

"There's always a chance," Washington said. "We are always looking."

Grimm showed improvement in his last two appearances but was hit very hard in his first two outings. He said a renewed mental approach after those two outings led to his improvement. The 24-year old will have a chance to continue to show what he can do with Round Rock.

"He will get another opportunity at the major league level," Washington said. "Initially, most young guys haven't had enough baseball background to trust (themselves) so they try to go out and prove they can do something and sometimes you realize it too late that isn't the approach to take."

Wells struggled throughout camp with putting too many men on base. He oftentimes pitched out of jams but never got into a sustained rhythm. He'll remain in the organization with Round Rock and provide depth in the rotation.

With a little more than a week remaining in camp, the Rangers have four pitching slots to identify, the final rotation slot and three in the bullpen. Washington said by the end of camp, by any means necessary, those slots will be filled by the end of spring training.

"We are going to leave here with those four guys, you just wish someone would step it up and make it easier," Washington said. "But we are going to leave here with those four guys whether it be from outside or whether the four guys are inside, but we are going to leave with that staff totally filled. We are going to keep playing everyday and hopefully someone will take the lead."

After this morning's moves, the Rangers spring training roster is at 43 players.

Other team notes:

The Rangers announced today that Robbie Parker will throw the ceremonial first pitch prior to the team's home opener Friday, April 5 against the Angels. Parker is the father of six-year old Emilie Parker, who was killed in the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December. Mr. Parker grew up in North Texas and will be accompanied by his wife and two daughters. Parker is a long-time Texas Rangers fan and took Emilie to several Rangers games in Arlington, Seattle and Boston.

Four Texas pitchers in major league camp will pitch in a minor league game tonight: LHP Michael Kirkman for Round Rock (AAA), RHP Josh Lindblom, RHP Coty Woods and RHP Johan Yan will all pitch for Frisco (AA).

Today marks the last of two meetings between Texas and Colorado. The Rangers lost the first meeting, 9-1, at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale.

Leonys Martin had four RBIs last night, including three on a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth. He is tied with Mitch Moreland for the team lead with 11 RBIs.

PHOENIX -- While the numbers didn't show it after his last start, Randy Wells said he thought he was close to where he wanted to be this spring.

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While it would have been easy to dismiss his claim after allowing three runs on six hits and a walk in four innings -- his worst statistical outing to date -- he responded with his best performance of the spring Thursday.

Wells allowed one run in five innings of work during the Rangers 6-2 win over Oakland, but he didn't make it easy on himself. The right-hander allowed one run while scattering three hits and walking four. He also struck out four and hit a batter.

"From the get go, I felt good," Wells said. "I was able to make a pitch when I needed to and it was nice to get out there, stretch it out and go five innings."

Wells had a scoreless outing under his belt until Josh Reddick hit a home run that barely cleared the right-field wall with two outs in that final inning of work.

The veteran right-hander interspersed quick work in the first and third innings with having to pitch out of two, two-out bases loaded jams in the second and fourth. The end result was an up-and-down performance that wasn't always smooth but likely good enough to keep him in the running for the open fifth starter slot in the rotation.

"I made it interesting. I know that," Wells said. "The four walks weren't ideal, but you have to be able to make the pitch to get out of those innings. When you get into those situations, you need to get out of them. It's a positive, but I'd rather not put myself into those situations."

"We don't want walks, but if you put yourself in trouble, you make pitches to get out of it, so then it's no big deal," manager Ron Washington added. "You don't always want to be walking guys like that though because you aren't always going to be able to pitch around it."

The fifth starter competition will continue to play out over the next three days. Dark horse Nick Tepesch will make his second start of the season during Saturday's split-squad game in Las Vegas.

Fellow contenders Robbie Ross and Justin Grimm will each start one of the split-squad games Sunday. Ross has had the most consistent string of quality starts among the candidates but had his most difficult outing the last time he took the mound. Meanwhile, Grimm kept himself in contention with his best outing of the spring in his last appearance.

Following the weekend games, there will be less than two weeks of spring training remaining, and the currently clouded competition for that fifth starter role may become a little bit clearer.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Randy Wells knows he is close. If he could just get that third strike. If he could just not hang that one pitch. If he just grabbed a little bit less of the plate. While he has allowed his share of baserunners through his first three starts this spring, Wells has also consistently found a way to limit the damage.

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Instead of Wells giving up strings of hits and walks that lead to big innings, opponents have had quick attacks during which they score a run, only to have Wells figure a way out of the jam.

"I'm almost there," said Wells, who gave up three runs in four innings in an 11-11 tie against the Dodgers on Thursday. "It's spring training and everything is magnified with the whole fifth starter thing. You're not as sharp as you want to be, but you want to keep getting better with each outing."

Wells said he was able to get ahead of batters thanks to his changeup, but admitted his mental effort was a little lacking when it came time to finish them off.

"I definitely need to work on finishing the inning and putting them away without letting them scratch out a run," Wells said.

Through three starts, Wells has allowed 16 baserunners and five earned runs in eight innings. With Robbie Ross pitching well and the chatter of the Rangers potentially going outside the organization for another arm to pitch in the fifth rotation spot, Wells knows he needs to perform well enough to win the job amid the usual ramp-up that occurs during spring training.

"I don't know a whole lot of people who come out after three spring training games and are in midseason form," Wells said. "It's tough for me because I want to pitch the best I can, but I have to keep remembering it's only March 7. There's still a lot of time.

"Obviously, opportunities are getting shorter and shorter, but at the same time you have to remember it's only spring training."

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Texas Rangers (4-7-2) extended its unbeaten streak to three games after playing the Los Angeles Dodgers (4-6-3) to an 11-11 tie Thursday at Camelback Ranch.

What it means: The Rangers are unbeaten in four of their last five games and and five of their last seven after a slow start to the spring season.

All tied up: Josh Lindblom allowed a three-run, game-tying home run to Matt Angle with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The teams mutually agreed to end the game as a tie following the completion of the ninth inning.

Bat man: Leonys Martin made a grand return from his one-game absence to rest a tight hamstring with an impact performance at the plate Thursday. The center fielder went 1-for-2 and drove in three runs on a sacrifice fly and two-run single. Martin, who is battling for the starting center field job, is batting .391 this spring and is tied for second on the team with five RBIs.

Speed burner: The Rangers found out just how fast Dee Gordon is when he stole third base on a play where catcher A.J. Pierzynski made a throw to first base to complete a strikeout by Alfredo Amezaga. Mitch Moreland responded by firing the ball across the diamond, but by then Gordon was already getting up from his slide.

Hello old friend: Adrian Beltre hit his first home run of the spring during the Rangers' five-run fifth inning. His two-run blast against his former team put Texas in front 5-3 and let Randy Wells off the hook for the loss. Beltre played for the Dodgers from 1998-2004.

Wells runs dry: Wells, who is in competition for the last spot in the rotation, didn't have much luck in his third start. He finished the day allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three in four innings.

Catching on: Pierzynski went 1-for-3 on Thursday and has hit safely in six of his last seven games, good for a .389 average during that stretch (7-for-18).

Baker still raking: Jeff Baker has been on a tear lately and added a pair of singles to his current hit parade. Baker is hitting .562 (9-16) with three doubles, two RBI and four runs scored over his last seven games.

Closing early: Joe Nathan made his second appearance of the spring and allowed two runs on two hits in the fifth inning in relief of Wells. In Sunday's spring debut, Nathan didn't allow a run but threw 24 pitches while giving up one hit and walking a batter.

Rally killer: Minor leaguer Ross Wolf made his first appearance with Texas on Thursday. The right-hander came on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and retired the only batter he faced.

What's next? The Rangers will play their second game in a stretch of four games out of five on the road when they travels to Maryvale Ballpark to face the Milwaukee Brewers for the first time this spring on Friday at 2:05 p.m. CT. RHP Jeff Beliveau (0-0, 0.00) will get the start for Texas. RHP Tyler Thornburg (0-1, 9.00) is the scheduled starter for Milwaukee.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Randy Wells will have a chance to prove experience counts for something in the competition for the fifth rotation spot when he makes his third spring start for the Texas Rangers (4-7-1) against the Los Angeles Dodgers (4-6-2).

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Wells has allowed nine baserunners in four innings through his first two starts, but he has displayed that veteran guile by allowing only one earned run in each outing.

With 86 career starts during five major league seasons, Wells owns by far the most MLB starts among all the competitors. With Martin Perez injured and Robbie Ross the only other competitor to distinguish himself so far, a strong four-inning outing from Wells could help separate him from most of the pack.

"You can't let pressure get to you. You can't have one bad outing and think it's over," Wells said. "I think the more you get wrapped up on who the fifth starter is going to be, the worse off you are."

Wells said he struggled with his changeup during his last start, which led him to leaving pitches high and making his fastball more predictable and hittable. Manager Ron Washington said that is one thing he will be watching when Wells takes to the hill this afternoon.

"The last time out he didn't have his changeup, and that is is weapon," Washington said. "If he has that, he should get through his four innings with no problem."

Other game notes:

Newly-signed RHP Derek Lowe is expected to be in uniform and work out at camp Friday.

DH Lance Berkman will get the day off. Washington said he originally thought about playing Berkman but decided to give him today off and then play him two in a row before another day off. Berkman could sit though if bad weather leads to a sloppy field Friday.

Rangers in WBC update: Derek Holland got the start for Team USA on Wednesday in an exhibition game and allowed one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts in three innings. Engel Beltre tripled and scored two runs for Spain yesterday. Elvis Andrus went 2-for-4 with a run scored for Venezuela on Tuesday. Leury Garcia and Nelson Cruz went 0-for-2 for the Dominican Republic in an exhibition against the New York Yankees yesterday.

The Rangers have won consecutive games for the first time this spring. Both victories were come-from-behind, one-run decisions.

The battle for the fifth starting spot in the Texas Rangers rotation is a point of interest during the early part of the 2013 Cactus League season. A number of players are competing for that slot and the race just became much more difficult to handicap following the injury to Martin Perez. The 21-year old rookie was positioning himself well prior to learning he would miss approximately two months due to a forearm fracture suffered during Sunday's game.

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With an off day today, this seemed like a good time to break down the candidates and where they stand in their quest for that final starting spot.

RHP Cody Buckel: Buckel has not performed well in either of his two spring appearances. In both outings, he was scheduled to throw one inning, but couldn't get three outs either time. In one inning, Buckel has allowed seven runs, on four hits, with five walks and two hit batters. The 20-year old was named the organization's minor league pitcher of the year in 2012 but it appears he still needs more seasoning before making the jump to the big leagues.

RHP Justin Grimm: Grimm may knock himself out of contention early in the competition. The right-hander has been hit hard in both starts, allowing nine earned runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings. Grimm has struggled to keep his pitches down in the zone, which may ultimately lead to his undoing unless he quickly resolves the issue.

RHP Kyle McClellan: As one of two contenders with more than two major league starts, McClellan had an experience advantage over most of his competitors. Unfortunately for him, McClellan is yet to see action in a game, as he has been sidelined with a sore shoulder in his throwing arm. The longer spring, Perez' injury and the fact a fifth starter isn't needed until later in April may give McClellan a chance to stay in the hunt if he can return soon.

LHP Martin Perez: The unofficial leader in the competition, Perez was impressive with the improvement he displayed before getting injured during his second spring appearance. The left-hander likely won't return until May, at which time another pitcher, within or outside of the organization, may have a firm grip on the job.

LHP Robbie Ross: All Ross does is exceed expectations. He did so last season when he made the Rangers squad out of training camp as a non-roster invitee and he is doing so again in his second attempt to nail down the fifth starter spot. Ross has pitched well as a starter in the minor leagues, but his success with Texas has been as a reliever. He may become a victim of his own success though, unless the Rangers are comfortable they have enough other arms to round out the bullpen behind closer Joe Nathan.

RHP Nick Tepesch: Tepesch is the Ross of 2013. He came into camp as an unknown, non-roster invitee and all he does is pitch well. The even-keeled 6-foot-4 right hander has shown poise during the two appearances of his first major league camp. In five innings, Tepesch has allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts.

RHP Randy Wells: If experienced mattered, Wells would be a slam dunk for the role. The 30-year old has a career record of 28-32 with a 4.08 ERA in 86 MLB starts. Wells has displayed craftiness during his two starts, as he's allowed eight hits and a walk in four innings but has found a way to limit the damage by only allowing two earned runs. Smoother outings later in the spring, as well as his experience could nab Wells the starting gig. His next start is on Thursday.

Other: Recent reports state the Rangers may have interest in free-agent right-hander Kyle Lohse or the Tigers' Rick Porcello and adding one of them to the rotation. The Perez injury, along with the early struggles of No. 4 starter Alexi Ogando, who is making the transition from the pen this season, may fast track a phone call. Let's also not forget Colby Lewis who is recovering well from his midseason elbow surgery and could provide the answer if Texas decides to piece meal the starts until he returns.

The short answer, at least right now, is no. That's not to say things couldn't change, but despite Martin Perez's broken bone in his forearm and the fact that it's four weeks before he even resumes a throwing program, the Texas Rangers shouldn't be rushing into anything with free agent Kyle Lohse.

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They should do what they're doing: Keep in contact with Scott Boras, but explore other avenues. ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin reports that the Rangers reached out to ask about the availability of Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello. He's 24 and was 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA in 2012. He's pitched at least 160 innings in each of his four seasons with the Tigers. That's not bad for a fifth starter.

The other thing about Porcello: We're talking about a trade here, which means no draft pick concerns. The problem with Lohse is that the Rangers would have to give up the No. 24 pick in the 2013 draft and the pool money that goes with it if they sign Lohse. They're not going to do that without getting him inked to at least a two-year deal. On one hand, the Rangers might have the leverage to get a deal that's favorable to them done with Lohse, who is still without a job here in March. But on the other, it's a lot to give up for a guy that would slot into a spot that may just be temporary.

Colby Lewis' rehab is going well. He's ahead of schedule. If he has not setbacks, he could return in May. If that's the case, why not cobble something together -- Robbie Ross or Randy Wells, for instance -- for the first six or eight weeks and then insert Lewis into the rotation? If the Rangers decided to skip the fifth starter spot based on off days in the first six weeks of the season, they could limit the number of starts needed by that position to five or six. Yes, the club would probably rather Ross start in the bullpen, but they may be forced to start him with limited options early. Wells, a long shot, has pitched well and will continue to get a look.

It just doesn't seem worth giving up the draft pick to add Lohse at this point. But watch Alexi Ogando, too. If he continues to struggle and the team thinks it has some big question marks at the Nos. 4 and 5 spots, maybe that alters things. Pitching depth is never a bad thing. That's why if you're Texas, you've got to check around. And if Lewis' progress gets stalled, that could certainly change things. For now, though, the Rangers should stay in a holding pattern with Lohse.

Do you agree?

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Texas Rangers (1-6-1) lost for the sixth time in seven spring games after being defeated 8-6 by the Seattle Mariners (7-1) on Friday at the Peoria Sports Complex.

What it means: Texas has just one victory in eight spring training games this season. That trend extends to one win in 11 games dating to the end of the 2012 Cactus League season.

Time's up: Starter Randy Wells was scheduled to go three innings but only lasted two after eclipsing his 50-pitch limit. He threw 54 pitches, 30 for strikes.

One more: Mitch Moreland is the first Ranger to homer in consecutive games this spring after hitting a two-run shot in the first inning off Seattle lefty James Paxton.

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More and more: Speaking of Moreland, his home run is notable because it came off a lefty. Only four of his 40 regular-season home runs have come against a southpaw.

Two by six: All six Rangers home runs this spring have been two-run shots.

Murph's miscue: Seattle scored its first run on an error by left fielder David Murphy, who overran a ground-ball base hit by Michael Morse, which allowed Jason Bay to score and Kendrys Morales to advance to third.

First blood: Texas has now scored first in the last two games, after failing to do so in its first six contests.

Close call: Ian Kinsler was robbed of a couple RBIs in the fourth inning when his bases-loaded line drive to left was caught on a nice sliding play by Carlos Peguero, who checks in at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds.

Long gone: Seattle hit four home runs, the most allowed by Rangers pitching in a game this spring.

What's next? Texas heads to Scottsdale for its first 2013 Cactus League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at 2:10 p.m. CT. LHP Matt Harrison (0-0, 36.00) will make his second start of the spring. LHP Wade Miley is scheduled to start for Arizona.

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The latest chapter in the battle for the Texas Rangers' fifth spot in the rotation will be written today when Randy Wells makes his first start and second appearance of the spring.

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A number of players are in contention for the spot, but Wells and Kyle McClellan are the only ones with more than two major league starts. McClellan is yet to pitch due to a sore shoulder.

Fellow candidates Martin Perez and Robbie Ross have impressed during the early portion of the 2013 Cactus League season and Wells aims to keep pace with a strong outing during his three innings of work today against the Seattle Mariners.

"This competition is going to be pretty tough, but it is a good position to be in," Wells said. "It's tough because you don't want to feel like every pitch you make or every mistake is going to determine whether or not you make the team. I just have to go out there and relax and have fun."

Wells had a good spring debut in his first outing since undergoing elbow surgery last July. The right-hander pitched two innings and allowed one run but wasn't hit especially hard. The only run he allowed was manufactured. Wells finished strong by ending the threat of a bigger inning with a double play.

The 30-year old signed a minor league deal with Texas in December after spending parts of the last three season with the Chicago Cubs. He owns the most major league experience among the candidates with 86 starts in five MLB seasons. While that experience will aid Wells in knowing how to perform as a starter, it won't necessarily give him in edge in earning the fifth spot.

"He is out there trying to impress just like everyone else," said manager Ron Washington. "Of course his experience does come into play but when it comes down to it, it is going to be a group evaluation and we'll all get in on the decision. We know what he did, but there is competition for that spot and it will be the best guy we give it to."

Wells owns a career record of 28-32 with a 4.08 ERA and has struck out 345 batters in 529 innings pitched.

Other notes:

Mike Olt remains in the Texas lineup but will return to third base after making his spring debut in right field Thursday.

Lance Berkman is receiving a scheduled off today. He is on an every-other-day schedule while Texas officials monitor him after returning Thursday from a week layoff due to a sore calf. Berkman is slated to play three innings Saturday.

Elvis Andrus returns to the lineup and will bat second after a two-day layoff, including a missed day on Thursday from arm soreness due to a new tattoo.

Texas has scored 18 runs in its last two games after plating 17 in its first four spring games.

Rangers Hall of Famers Rusty Greer and Kenny Rogers, along with Mark McLemore, joined the team today as special instructors for a week.

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Alexi Ogando, who will start for one of the intrasquad teams today and pitch one inning, is happy with how his changeup has progressed so far this spring. He'll get an even better idea when he faces hitters in a game.

"I feel good about it," said Ogando who has thrown the pitch in live bullpen sessions. "It's a pitch I need to throw to lefties. It's going to help me out against them."

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Ogando's splits show a big difference between what he did against lefties and righties in 2012. Right-handed batters hit just .179 against Ogando, who used his fastball and slider to keep them off balance. But left-handers hit .234, and in Ogando's career they've hit .245, more than 50 points better than righties.

So this offseason, knowing he was going back into the rotation, Ogando focused on the changeup.

"It feels better," Ogando said. "I have to throw it more."

It should be interesting to see how the pitch looks in the coming days and weeks.

Other notes:

* Joe Nathan is scheduled to pitch to hitters for the first time Friday and should see his first Cactus League action March 3, according to pitching coach Mike Maddux. "There's no reason to rush him," Maddux said. "We're here a long time. He gets the veteran treatment."

Nathan said he feels fine and has no injury concerns. But the club will just take it slow and cautious with the 38-year-old closer.

* The first intrasquad game of the spring season is Tuesday, followed by another on Wednesday. Both games are at noon local time. Here are the pitchers scheduled to throw:

Tuesday (the dash separates the teams)
Yu Darvish -- Alexi Ogando
Robbie Ross -- Michael Kirkman
Tanner Scheppers -- Collin Balester
Randy Wells -- Martin Perez
Justin Grimm -- Wilmer Font
Cory Burns -- Jake Brigham
Coty Woods

Wednesday
Matt Harrison -- Nick Tepesch
Yonata Ortega -- Nate Robertson
Neal Cotts -- Evan Meek
Josh Lindblom -- Yoshinori Tateyama
Cody Buckel -- Joe Ortiz
Jeff Beliveau -- Johan Yan
Neil Ramirez

Editor's note: This is an occasional series of blogs looking at some of the candidates for the fifth starter spot on for the Texas Rangers in 2013.

Today's candidate: Randy Wells

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Veteran Randy Wells just wanted to start over after going through a season of arm issues and surgery.

Wells, from Illinois, has played all but one game with the Chicago Cubs in his career. He was 1-2 with a 5.34 ERA in 12 games (four starts) last season. He had bone spurs removed from his pitching elbow in July and missed the rest of the season.

“It was hindering my range of motion and nagging me as I tried to throw,” Wells said. “But I feel good and I want to show I’m healthy. I think mentally being 100 percent is the biggest thing for me. I rehabbed at home. I missed the game and wanted to get back strong and pitch well. Getting the head right was huge for me.”

Wells said he has told friends that this is the most excited he’s been about his career now that he feels healthy.

“I’ve always wanted to play in Texas,” Wells said. “I’m looking forward to a good opportunity. I’ve always had a love affair with Texas. I’ve always been a National League guy growing up in St. Louis, but this is my American League team. I’ve got a lot of friends that live in Dallas and other parts of Texas. They’re excited. It’s one of those things I’ve always wanted to play here.”

Wells said he doesn’t try to overpower anybody, instead mixing things up with a sinker, slider and changeup.

“The changeup is my out pitch,” Wells said. “If I am changing speeds and have movement going, I’m pretty confident I can hang. I’m not going to pay attention to what other guys are doing. You can’t do that. I want to focus on what I need to do and hopefully things come out on top.”

Editor's Note: We complete our spring issues series over the next couple of days as pitchers and catchers prepare to report in Surprise, Ariz., for spring training.

Today's issue: Who is the fifth starter?

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- This is clearly one of the biggest questions of the spring. The Texas Rangers come into camp with Yu Darvish, Matt Harrison, Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando in the rotation. They have one more spot to fill and, at this point, are set to allow some younger pitchers to compete for that job.

There are a handful of candidates, but we'll highlight a few of them here. Let's start with Robbie Ross, the 23-year-old who made a big impression in 2012. He came into spring training as a relative long shot to earn a spot on the club, but he just kept getting outs and pitched with a maturity well beyond his years. By the time camp had finished, Ross was the most consistent left-handed reliever and won a job and stayed in the big leagues the entire season.

Ross posted a 9-4 record and 2.26 ERA with 98 strikeouts and 28 walks in 21 games (20 starts) at Class A Myrtle Beach in 2011 and then moved up to Double-A Frisco and was 1-1 with a 2.61 ERA in six starts (36 strikeouts, five walks). He rode that momentum into the 2012 regular season, going 6-0 with a 0.95 ERA in the first half. He had more than a few teammates saying they felt he was an All-Star. He ended up with a 2.22 ERA in 65 innings (58 appearances) last year.

Now it's time to see if Ross can come in and win another competition, for the last spot in the rotation. It won't be a difficult transition for Ross, who was a starter his entire minor league career (which wasn't very long) before making the big leagues. He pitched in 69 games and started 68. So he'll be stretched out and ready to go.

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But earning the fifth spot won't be easy for Ross. A few other youngsters are hoping to seize the spot, too. Martin Perez, long considered one of the club's top pitching prospects, hopes to break through in 2013. He turns 22 in April and was 1-3 with a 5.88 ERA in six starts for Texas last season. He came up to the big leagues after Colby Lewis went on the disabled list in June 26 and made his debut the following night. When Perez wasn't pitching in Texas, he was in Triple-A Round Rock. He went 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA in 22 games (21 starts) in 127 innings. He had 69 strikeouts and 56 walks. Perez was inconsistent and will need to show he can put solid innings together and stay consistent this spring.

Justin Grimm, 24, started twice for the Rangers in 2012. His debut was a good one, but he struggled in his second start and spent most of the rest of the season in Triple-A. He ended up 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 14 innings with Texas (five total appearances). He was 9-3 with a 1.72 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 14 walks in Double-A Frisco, earning him Texas League South Division All-Star honors. He was 2-3 with a 4.59 ERA in nine starts (51 innings) at Triple-A.

Kyle McClellan, 28, comes to camp healthy and focused on earning a spot on the club. He wants to start, but was quick to admit on Sunday when he arrived that he just wants to make the club and doesn't honestly care if that's as a reliever or starter. In other words: He didn't take the offer from the Rangers because he thought he might have the best shot at making the rotation. He took it because he felt like he could make the team in some capacity.

He's dealt with shoulder issues the past two seasons, but feels good after surgery last July.

There are other pitchers who will arrive stretched out to start, including Cody Buckel, Nick Tepesch and Randy Wells. Others could join the chase as well.

Pitching coach Mike Maddux and bullpen coach Andy Hawkins will have a plan to ramp all of them up and with 38 spring games, not to mention any "B" games or intrasquad games.

But the Rangers must find another starter before camp ends in late March, and all eyes will be on those candidates as they compete for that job.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Rangers look to extend their five-game winning streak tonight with left-hander Derek Holland facing the Cubs right-hander Randy Wells.

Holland (2-0, 2.38): The 23-year-old has won his first two starts since getting recalled May 12. He picked up the win Monday, lasting 5 1/3 inning while giving up three runs on five hits, with two strikeouts. He allowed two home runs. He beat Los Angeles Angels' Scott Kazmir. Holland, who is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in interleague play, has never faced the Cubs.

Wells (3-2, 4.13): Wells makes his fifth road start of the season and in his last outing overall, earned a quality start. he went 6 2/3 innings allowing one run but got a no decision in a 3-2 11 inning victory for the Cubs. Wells has held opposing hitters to a .208 average with runners in scoring position and two outs.