Rangers sign pitcher right after Joc Pederson move
12/23/2024 04:05 PM
After signing two-time All-Star Joc Pederson to a two-year deal on Monday morning, the Texas Rangers made an under-the-radar move, adding relief pitcher Shawn Armstrong.
Armstrong heads to Arlington on a Major League deal, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reported. The Rangers designated catcher Sam Huff for assignment as a corresponding move.
A right-handed veteran reliever, Armstrong pitched for three teams last year, his age 34 season. Between time with the Tampa Bay Rays, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, Armstrong made 57 appearances, pitching to a 4.86 ERA over 66.2 innings pitched. He also started seven games, all with the Rays.
No, it’s not the sort of big-name move that’s going to rock the baseball landscape, but it’s a low-risk, high reward one for the Rangers. Texas had one of the worst bullpens in baseball last year, ranking 26th out of 30 teams in bullpen ERA (4.41) and WHIP (1.370).
Among the culprits for the Rangers’ pen last year: 79 home runs allowed. Armstrong, despite his pedestrian numbers in 2024, allowed only six home runs in 2024, an average of 0.8 per nine innings.
Armstrong is primarily a fastball-changeup-sinker pitcher whose fastball sat around 93 mph last year — about 2 mph less than in 2022.
The Rangers still have work to do on their 2025 bullpen
Armstrong isn’t the only bullpen arm the Rangers have added in the last couple days. On Sunday, Texas dealt Nathaniel Lowe to the Washington Nationals for lefty Robert Garcia. Like Armstrong, Garcia’s numbers didn’t look great in 2024, but in 72 appearances he ceded just four long balls (0.6 HR/9). He also struck out 75 batters over 59.2 innings. Texas also brought in lefty Hoby Milner earlier this month.
The Rangers’ bullpen wasn’t good in 2024, but there were some good pieces that are currently sitting in free agency and could come back as well.
It starts with All-Star closer Kirby Yates. Yates had one of the best years of his career in his age 37 season, compiling a 1.17 ERA and 0.827 WHIP to go with 33 saves for a team that won only 78 games in 2024. MLB Trade Rumors projects Yates to be worth $14 million in 2025, but without a clear closer candidate in the bullpen as it is, Texas just might want to spend the money.
There’s not an obvious closer candidate because veteran relief pitcher David Robertson is also a free agent. After he struck out 99 batters over 72 innings last year with a 3.00 ERA, Robertson declined a mutual option to rejoin Texas in 2025. He would have been due $7 million, so if the Rangers are going to bring him back anyway, it will have to be for a number north of that.
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