GLOBAL NEWS; RANGERS SIGN IN CONVALESCENT VETERAN STARTER WITH TWO.

Convalescing Veteran Starter Signs Two-Year Contract With Rangers

The reigning champions are adding even more players to their roster. Tyler Mahle, a right-hander, signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Texas Rangers. Texas first revealed the agreement on social media on Thursday night, following earlier news reports that leaked the information.

The Rangers are taking a risk with this trade because Mahle had Tommy John surgery in May of last year, which ended his 2023 season with the Minnesota Twins. As he continues his recuperation, he is probably going to miss a portion of the upcoming season. But Mahle will be joining a deep Texas rotation once he gets back. Although they helped them win their first World Series, Jordan Montgomery and Nathan Eovaldi won’t be the Rangers’ only weapons in 2019. Max Scherzer’s contract is still in place for the upcoming season, and Jacob deGrom is recovering from Tommy John surgery as well.

When Mahle returns, he should be used in the middle or at the back of the rotation. As backup options, Martin Perez and Andrew Heaney are still available. Arlington’s wealth is an embarrassment as the Rangers aim for a repeat in 2024.

Mahle’s relocation signifies a fresh start for him, but it also ends a difficult and injury-plagued stay in Minnesota.

At the 2022 deadline, he was traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the Twins. The Reds received Steve Hajjar, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Spencer Steer in return. After making their big league debuts in Cincinnati, the former two have developed into excellent foundation players. Still, Mahle did not pan out for the Twins in the way they had hoped. Over the course of two seasons, he only made nine combined starts, going 2-3 with a 3.64 ERA and forty strikeouts in 42 innings. Even though he produced respectable numbers, in the end, he lacked the longevity to make the haul the Twins gave up worthwhile. At this point in his career, the 29-year-old probably needs a fresh start.