12:57 PM EDT, Thu March 28, 2024
Lone Star Ball

Rangers trade Kent to Guardians

Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Zak Kent has been traded to Cleveland The Texas Rangers have traded pitcher Zak Kent to the Cleveland Guardians for international bonus pool money, the team announced today. Kent was on the 40 man roster, and his departure means there are now 38 players on the 40 man roster. (Well, the Texas Rangers’ PR account says there are 39 players on the 40 man roster, but Chris Young said yesterday Jose Barrero had cleared waivers and been outrighted, so him and Kent being off leaves us at 38.) The expectation had been that Max...

Lone Star Ball

Montgomery to D-Backs, per reports

Photo by Harry How/ Jordan Montgomery is reported heading to Arizona Jordan Montgomery, a hero of the Texas Rangers playoff run and key part of the Rangers winning their first title, is joining the team Texas vanquished, the Arizona Diamondbacks, per reports. The 31 year old Montgomery was acquired by the Rangers from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline in 2023 in a deal that saw Thomas Saggese and TK Roby go to St. Louis. He was terrific down the stretch and in the playoffs, and there appeared to be mutual interest in Montgomery returning to Texas for 2024...

Lone Star Ball

Initial minor league rosters announced

Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire via The Rangers have released the initial rosters for their four full season minor league affiliates The Texas Rangers have announced the minor league rosters for the start of 2024 for their full season affiliates. The AAA roster includes both the Duffys — Matt and Danny — even though Matt opted out of his deal a few days ago. Other free agent NRIs who are listed with Round Rock include Andrew Knapp, Chasen Shreve, Jesus Tinoco, Shane Greene, Adrian Sampson, Blake Taylor, Sandro Fabian, Derek Hill and Elier Hernandez. Grant...

Pinstripe Alley

2024 Preview: Rangers

Photo by Christian Petersen/ The defending World Series champs look to run it back in the West. We, as fans of baseball, should be happy about what the Texas Rangers did in 2023. Over the few seasons leading up to their World Series win, they were not exactly in the traditional win-now position, but there were good players available in free agency, so they paid some money, and guess what? Those very same players helped lead them to the franchise’s first World Series victory in just a few seasons. The Rangers roster in 2024 is mostly the same as the one that hoisted...

Lone Star Ball

Rangers land Lorenzen, per report

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/ The Rangers have reportedly agreed to a deal with free agent pitcher Michael Lorenzen The Texas Rangers have agreed to terms with free agent pitcher Michael Lorenzen, per Ken Rosenthal on Twitter. The deal is reportedly for $4.5 million, with $2.5 million in incentives. One of the recurring questions that we have had as the season has grown nearer has been, okay, if you don’t want to splurge on Jordan Montgomery, why don’t you go out and get Michael Lorenzen on a one year deal? And look, it happened. The 32 year old Lorenzen was originally...

Over the Monster

OTM Open Thread 3/21: It is Thursday

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Another one signs Happy Thursday! Well, the Texas Rangers couldn’t wait any longer. Free-agent right-hander Michael Lorenzen in agreement with Rangers on one-year, $4.5M contract, pending physical, source tells @TheAthletic. Deal includes $2.5M in incentives, maxes out at $7M.— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 21, 2024 Another pitching option snapped off the free agent market. Jordan Montgomery is still out there. The Yankees are apparently interested now. LOL. Sigh. The Red Sox are back in action against the Baltimore...

Lone Star Ball

AJM makes a guess at the Opening Day roster

Photo by John E. Moore III/ With the Michael Lorenzen signing, we have a better idea of what the Texas Rangers’ Opening Day roster will look like Let’s see if we can predict what the Texas Rangers roster will be a week from now, on Opening Day, when Texas faces the Chicago Cubs. This job is made easier by the addition of free agent pitcher Michael Lorenzen, who has reportedly agreed to terms on a one year deal with the Rangers. That means one question mark in regards to the final pitching staff is now longer in doubt. And while I’ve seen speculation Lorenzen...

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Snell to Houston rumors abound

Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Multiple reports have indicated the Houston Astros are pursuing free agent starter Blake Snell Rumors continue to swirl that the Houston Astros are seriously pursuing free agent starting pitcher Blake Snell. Among the smoke that is out there, Jon Heyman tweeted this morning that the Astros are “among teams very much involved” in the pursuit of Snell. And Ken Rosenthal has a piece with Chandler Rome that talks about the Astros “are engaged in a serious pursuit” of Snell. The Astros, like the Texas Rangers, are expected to...

DRaysBay

Tampa Bay Rays sign RHP Jake Odorizzi to a minor league deal

Photo by Ben Ludeman/Texas Rangers/ With a spot opening up in the rotation, Odorizzi has a shot at making the Rays Opening Day roster The Tampa Bay Rays have signed veteran hurler and former Ray, RHP Jake Odorizzi, to a minor league deal. Odorizzi, who will turn 34 in just a few weeks, is a Major League veteran starting pitcher with experience in 11 seasons. Originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st round of the 2008 draft, Odorizzi would be part of two trades that involved the face of the franchise ace pitchers (Zach Greinke in 2010 and James Shields in...

Lone Star Ball

Rangers, ChiSox talking Cease trade, per reports

Photo by Michael Reaves/ Trade talks involving Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease are reportedly cranking up MLB Trade Rumors: Dylan Cease, starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, has been the subject of trade talk in recent days, per reports, with the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees being among the suitors mentioned. Bob Nightengale says that the Yankees, in the wake of Gerrit Cole getting an MRI on his elbow, “made a new proposal” for Cease, having previously engaged in talks with Chicago for the righthander during the offseason. Ken Rosenthal,...

The Crawfish Boxes

Astros Crawfish Boil

Chas McCormick | Photo by Megan Briggs/ Welcome to the Wednesday Boil. Houston Astros News Verlander (shoulder) needs time to build strength, will open season on IL Small-town guy Trey Cabbage dreaming big with Astros this spring (Houston Chronicle) Here’s how Astros next extension candidate might actually catch you by surprise (Sportsmap Houston) We have the depth’: Analyzing Astros’ rotation after JV injury Astros’ Alex Bregman could be at the center of uptick in Mets-Yankees free agency battles AL West News Blarts — Rangers spring training postcard: The...

Lone Star Ball

Heyman suggests Rangers as fits for Montgomery, Martinez

Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via A pair of prominent free agents still unsigned are seen by Jon Heyman as fits for the Texas Rangers MLB Rumors: Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman and J.D. Martinez are the biggest free agent names still out there on the market, and Jon Heyman has a piece up where he looks at where each of the four could potentially end up. Interestingly, his “best guess” for two of that quadrumvirate — Montgomery and Martinez — is our defending champion Texas Rangers. We talked earlier this week about Montgomery’s not yet...

Bluebird Banter

Wednesday Bantering and GameThread

Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports Today, the Rays come to Dunedin. Paolo Espino gets the start for the Jays. He’s 37, a right-handed pitcher. He was a minor league free agent signing back in December. He’s played parts of five seasons in the MLB with the Brewers, Rangers and Nationals. In 94 games, 41 starts, he has a 5.01 ERA. In 257 innings, he’s got 214 strikeouts and 64 walks. He’s depth. I’m out this morning, so I don’t have the lineups. But it is a home game, so some regulars will be in the lineup. Yesterday’s start by Alek Manoah didn’t alleviate...

Astros, Chirinos reportedly agree on one-year deal

Free agent catcher Robinson Chirinos reportedly agrees to a one-year deal with the Astros after spending six seasons with the Rangers About Major League Baseball: Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United

Tony Barnette becomes free agent prior to 2019 season

After spending the last three seasons with the Rangers, Tony Barnette is set to enter free agency before the 2019 season About Major League Baseball: Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and con