Texas called up left-handers Locke St. John and Kyle Bird to the big league club from Nashville to take Smyly and Palumbo's places on the roster.
Smyly, the veteran right-hander who was starting earlier in the season, was roughed up in his most recent relief appearance Tuesday. Smyly allowed five earned runs in relief of Adrian Sampson, including three straight home runs in the 7th inning.
Overall, Smyly had an 8.42 ERA and allowed 19 homers over 51 1/3 innings in his 13 games this season.
"He really hasn't been built up and he hasn't been starting, so I don't know if that was just a decline in stamina," Woodward said of Smyly's struggles after Tuesday's loss. "I'm not sure. First inning, he didn't get hit that hard. A lot of bloopers and weak contact. He just left some of his pitches up."
Palumbo, recalled from Double-A Frisco early yesterday to make his second major league start, was pulled after allowing the first four batters to reach base in the third inning in last night's loss to Cleveland. Palumbo gave up seven runs and six hits, with three walks and one hit batter. He lasted four innings against the Oakland Athletics on June 8.
Rangers manager Chris Woodward said the Indians sat on Palumbo's fastball and apparently learned from studying his start against the A's.
"His fastball's got some characteristics that you'd have to make an adjustment to hit," Woodward said. "They did that."
St. John is 3-2 with a 1.56 ERA in 26 appearances between Nashville and Frisco. 105.3 The Fan's Jared Sandler says St. John is a left-handed sidearm thrower and his arm angle creates deception. Sandler adds that St. John can reach the 90's with his fastball and has good command.