THE TEXAS RANGERS HAS FINALLY OWNED THE RACE BY SIGNING.

Signing Reliever, Rangers Kirby Yates!

It’s no secret that the Texas Rangers needed to bolster their bullpen before the 2024 campaign began. Even though the offseason has started slowly so far, the World Series winners tried to solve the issue on Tuesday. Multiple reports state that reliever Kirby Yates is joining the Rangers on a one-year contract. The deal has not been confirmed by the club. Yates, 36, recovered in 2023 while pitching out of the bullpen for the Atlanta Braves, recording a 3.28 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. Over the previous three seasons, injuries had limited his innings and hindered his success.

Yates pitched a total of 11 1/3 innings from 2020 to 2022. Having had elbow surgery in 2020, he did not pitch in the 2021 season.

Yates had established himself as a strong bullpen arm for the San Diego Padres prior to the injury. With 41 saves in 2019, he led the National League and had a 1.19 ERA, which was a career low. In 60 2/3 innings pitched, he struck out 101 batters, earning him the title of All-Star in that season. Rangers general manager Chris Young stated at the Winter Meetings that the team would focus on building the bullpen following a 4.77 team ERA. Texas experienced difficulties with save opportunities as well; in 2023, its success rate was 47.6%.

According to Young, “[Bullpens] can be very volatile.” That, in my opinion, is one of the key justifications for having a large roster, depth, competition, and non-roster invites in Spring Training. In order to develop our pitching staff, we will select the top 13 players, so I believe this is a crucial component.

Texas may also decide to re-sign Aroldis Chapman, Will Smith, and Chris Stratton, three left-handers. Smith pitched 57 1/3 innings with a 4.40 ERA, striking out 55 batters. Chapman, acquired from the Royals in the middle of the season, had a 3.72 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 29 innings. After being acquired in the Jordan Montgomery trade, Stratton finished 29 innings with a 3.41 ERA and 22 strikeouts. Josh Hader, the closer for the Padres, is also anticipated to be considered for Texas.