As the Rangers look to replace the many arms they lost in free agency this winter, three other targets have emerged: the left-handed starter. Fried Maxleft auxiliary AJ Minterand the right hand interrupter Jonathan Loáísiga.
News of Texas’ interest in Fried comes from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal again Is Samson. They confirm that re-signing Nathan Eovaldi It remains the team’s primary target but it suggests the Rangers are looking at the fries as another possibility. However, their interest seems to be normal, at least for now. After Corbin BurnsFried is arguably the best starting pitcher available in free agency. That means he will command a lot more money than Eovaldi. Going into the offseason, the MLBTR staff predicted that Fried would sign a six-year, $156MM deal; Eovaldi’s projected contract was a two-year, $44MM deal. So, as the Rangers look to get under the luxury tax threshold and continue to face the uncertainty of TV revenue, financial issues could prevent them from signing any free agents. In other words, it appears the Rangers are keeping tabs on the Frieds, but a deal remains unlikely.
The bullpen is perhaps the biggest area of concern for Texas. The only four pitchers to throw more than 50 innings out of the Rangers bullpen in 2024 are all free agents: Kirby Yates, David Robertson, José Leclercagain José Ureña. What else Josh Sborz he will miss significant time again after shoulder surgery. President of baseball operations Chris Young has already made a few minor additions, saying Roansy Contreras in letting Angels and signing Luis Curvelo to a major league deal, but neither is the type of proven, high-quality arm the Rangers desperately need. Ideally, the Rangers will be in the market for a bona fide closer Tanner Scott or All-Star talent like Jeff Hoffman. However, the lack of payroll flexibility could explain why they are targeting two back-to-back candidates for the position.
Over the past five seasons, Minter has pitched to a 2.85 ERA and 3.04 SIERA in 243 career innings for the Braves. Although he only has 36 career hits, the southpaw has experience making late innings. He also has several years of acting experience. In 25 postseason frames, he has a 2.88 ERA and a 2.63 SIERA. The reason for doubt when it comes to Minter, is that he spent two long periods on the injured list nursing a hip injury this past season. He ended up needing surgery, and it’s unclear how soon he’ll be back. That said, a hip injury is less of a concern than an arm-related issue, and Minter has been very solid from 2020-23. Only three providers made more appearances during that time. As such, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that Minter is among the “most popular” left-handed relievers on the free agent market, linking him to the Braves, Cubs, and Rangers. He was also linked to the Blue Jays earlier this offseason.
Loáisiga hasn’t been nearly as strong as Minter throughout his career, but the opposite is also likable. He was one of the top relievers in the game in 2021, posting a 2.17 ERA and 3.01 SIERA in 70 2/3 innings for the Yankees. Unfortunately, various arm injuries have gotten in his way since then. He dealt with shoulder inflammation in 2022, bone spurs in his elbow in 2023, and, most recently, an internal brace procedure in April 2024. The recovery timeline for an internal brace procedure is typically 10-12 months, which means that Loáisiga can. back to full strength in time for Opening Day. If so, it’s not hard to see why he has so many suitors, including the Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, and now, according to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, the Padres and Rangers. Although Loáisiga has long been a reliable big leaguer, it’s easy to dream about the heights of his 98 mph sinker and deadly curveball. Therefore, it is not surprising that he is expected to sign a major league contract this winter (via Castillo).
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