The Rangers have signed Juan Nicasio to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (via Twitter).
Nicasio has enjoyed impressive longevity as a right-handed reliever, hanging in the majors for most of the last nine seasons. The righty’s longest tenure came with the Rockies, with whom he made his debut and pitched from 2011 through 2014. He was mostly a starter in Colorado, though he lasted a full year of turns only in 2013, going 9-9 over 31 starts (157 2/3 innings) putting up a 5.14 ERA/4.25 FIP.
In all, Nicasio’s career has largely been defined by ERAs lagging behind his Fielding Independent Pitching. Nicasio finished with a higher ERA than FIP in seven of his nine professional seasons. 2017 was the rare year for Nicasio when his FIP caught up to his ERA (2.61 ERA/2.98 FIP) while he led the league with 76 appearances pitching for the Phillies, Cardinals, and Pirates.
The last two seasons have been particularly gruesome. In 2018, he appeared in 46 games for the Mariners with a 6.00 ERA/2.99 FIP across 42 innings. This season the splits were less drastic, though with a 4.75 ERA/3.87 FIP across 47 relief appearances for the Phillies, he again suffered from underperformance.
Given the degree to which Nicasio has been victimized by poor BABIPs these last two seasons (.402 BABIP in 2018, .366 BABIP in 2019), the Rangers grab a nice flyer here with no risk. The Rangers didn’t boast a great defensive unit in 2019, and replacing Delino DeShields with Danny Santana in center won’t help, but there’s still lots of time for the top of that depth chart to shift.
Shampoo is better! I go on first and clean the hair.
He stinks…
Come on a little bit of respect especially since he played in your team. Hopefully, he has a better season.
Not a bad depth signing. Nicasio still gets strikeouts—could bounce back. Rangers have had a good offseason.
I like the move, he will replace springs for long relief.
Is he the single most mediocre reliever in all of baseball?
I remember when he was supposed to be a key addition for the Mariners in 2018. Things can change quickly.
Seems like so long ago! He was supposed to be the bridge to Eddie D! I remember the night after Paxton’s no hitter, he came in gave up 3 straight Dbls and turned a 2-1 lead into a 5-2 loss. He was such a waste of $$
Bullpen guys can be on top of the world one day and a goat the next. Get as many guys with upside in camp as you can, see who gets hot and roll with them.
This is key. Stock up on the cheap as having options never hurts.
Rangers still need another impact right handed bat.
About Nicasio last year, five of his walks were intentional walks so his control isn’t that bad.
He must have fixed his mechanics because the year before he was utter garbage in Seattle. He’d strike out the first and maybe even the second hitter then become a completely different pitcher for that final out- his control would suddenly leave him. He’d walk the next couple batters then give up a dbl or a HR.