KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Frank Francisco does not have a career save and is 0-for-6 in save opportunities this season, but he will be the Texas Rangers closer for the remainder of this season.

With the Rangers trading closer Eddie Guardado to Minnesota on Monday for minor league right-hander Mark Hamburger, Francisco was moved from the set up role to closer.

“It was pretty clear-cut for me that Frankie is the guy,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We'll try to get the ball to Frankie.”

Francisco, a 28-year-old hard-throwing right-hander, is 2-5 with a 3.78 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 22 walks in 52 1-3 innings

“Everybody tells me I can be a closer,” Francisco said. “I believe I can be a closer. I've got the stuff. I'm glad I got the opportunity now. Now its my time to show that I can be the man.”

He said he learned a lot from Guardado, who has 187 career saves.

“He was unbelievable,” Francisco said. “He went out there with whatever he had that day and make the hitter look like nothing. I'm going to miss him. He was the guy who didn't have that great of stuff, but he taught me even if you don't have the greatest stuff you can still pitch.”

In the revamped Texas bullpen, Washington said Jamey Wright would work the eighth inning.

“We've got to figure out the seventh inning,” Washington said.

In other roster moves Monday, the Rangers purchased the contracts of left-hander Bill White and outfielder Nelson Cruz from Triple-A Oklahoma and designated outfielder Jason Ellison for assignment.

White made his major league debut last year with the Rangers, going 2-0 with a 4.82 ERA in nine relief appearances. He was 4-1 with six saves and a 3.54 ERA in 50 relief appearances in the Pacific Coast League.

Cruz had a minor league best .693 slugging percentage with Oklahoma, while hitting .342 with 37 home runs, 18 doubles and 99 RBIs in 103 games. Cruz hit .352 with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs in 44 games last season with Oklahoma, but hit only .235 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 96 games with Texas.

Washington immediately put Cruz in the lineup, starting him in right, and said he plans to start him as long as he's healthy.

“He's earned the right to play,” Washington said. “We haven't given up on him. He's still in the organization. There's an opportunity to come up and play. We just want to give him that opportunity.”