The Rangers announced Wednesday that they’ve signed right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng to a minor league contract. The former Cubs righty, who was designated for assignment released recently, will head to extended Spring Training begin a throwing program, per Rangers executive vice president of communications John Blake.
Tseng, 24, was a fairly high-profile signing for the Cubs back in 2013, receiving a $1.625MM signing bonus as an 18-year-old amateur out of Taiwan. He was considered one of the Cubs’ more promising young arms for years after his signing and breezed through much of his minor league tenure, posting quality numbers against older, more experienced competition en route to a brief cup of coffee with the big league team in 2017.
The 2018 season, however, was a disaster for Tseng. After logging a 1.80 ERA in 55 1/3 Triple-A innings in 2017, Tseng was tattooed for a 6.27 earned run average in 136 1/3 frames there last year. He allowed a career-high 2.9 walks per nine innings pitched and a career-worst 1.32 homers per nine frames in last year’s ugly showing. While Tseng’s modest strikeout rate made that 2017 ERA look ripe for at least some regression even at the time, few would’ve expected such a stark downturn in his performance. Spring Training wasn’t any prettier in 2019, as Tseng yielded eight runs on eight hits and two walks with just one strikeout in 4 2/3 innings in Major League camp.
Those struggles were enough for the Cubs to move on, but the Rangers, known to be on the lookout for rotation depth, are in a better position to give a chance to a young arm not far removed from success in the upper minors. Unlike the Cubs, the Rangers didn’t enter the season with legitimate postseason aspirations. Given the patchwork nature of their rotation (plus injuries to Yohander Mendez and Edinson Volquez), Texas not only has a need for depth but also a relatively clear path to an opportunity for Tseng if he can get out to a strong start once he joins a minor league affiliate.
Tseng just needs to get his confidence back. Stick him in Frisco initially, give him time and you could have a nice 4/5 in a year or so. Solid signing.
Agreeed!!!
Lottery pick?
John Daniels stated all last week on Radio and paper interviews he was gonna sign us some help,but not Dallas K because of draft pick involved, surely Shirley this is not it.
And don’t call me Shirley
I am serious and don’t call me Shirley.
…..Airplane!
do you have some desire to watch gallardo again or something? it’s april 17th, what do you want? no one said this was it, but i don’t mind scooping up free scratch off tickets when we have 3 wide open spots now, and will probably need to utilize another dozen starters not named minor (for the first half) or lynn this year.
Shoulda held on to conner sadzeck. Not like we have an abundance of pitching, with a spot locked down, that we couldnt afford the roster spot.
After watching the Rangers near collapse this afternoon – three relief pitchers – the two Martins and their closure LeClerc – giving up three homeruns in as many walks, this pitching staff is signaling that they are in for troubling times. Woodward needs to lean heavily on Jonathan Daniels to get more help for his club. Not sure another reclamation project in Tseng will help.