Rangers, “Number Of Teams” Interested In Lohse

The Rangers are staying in contact with Kyle Lohse, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.  Scott Boras, Lohse's agent, didn't confirm Texas' interest but did say that he had heard from several teams about the 34-year-old right-hander.

"He’s doing his workouts, and we’ve continued talking with a number of teams,” Boras said.  "A lot of teams are evaluating their existing situations, but have called and have interest in Kyle.”

Lohse's name has been mentioned in connection with the Rangers since Texas failed to land Zack Greinke, and the whispers have grown louder since fifth starter candidate Martin Perez suffered a fractured ulna.  We heard last week, however, that Texas wasn't going to sign Lohse for a variety of reasons, including concerns about how Lohse would fare in the AL West, the expensive multiyear deal that Boras was seeking and the draft pick (24th overall) that the Rangers would have to forfeit to sign the free agent righty.  Boras told Rosenthal that he was confident his client would sign before the June amateur draft, though a late signing would be a way for a team to avoid losing their pick.

Lohse was ranked as the 10th-best free agent of the offseason by MLBTR's Tim Dierkes last October.  Of Dierkes' top 50 free agents, only Lohse and Jose Valverde (No. 44, and another Boras client) remain unsigned.  I cited the Rangers as a possible candidate to sign Lohse in my breakdown of the right-hander's market last month.