The Rangers are signing reliever Dan Winkler to a minor league contract, pending a physical, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter links). Presumably, the right-hander will get a look in big league Spring Training once the deal’s finalized.
Winkler ranked third among Cubs relievers in innings last season, tossing 39 2/3 frames over 47 outings. The 32-year-old didn’t get particularly strong results, though, due in large part to control woes. Winkler walked 15.8% of batters faced while striking out a personal-low 21.1% of opponents. That led to a 5.22 ERA, even as opposing hitters managed only a .255 batting average on balls in play against him. The Cubs designated him for assignment in late August, and he elected minor league free agency after passing through waivers unclaimed.
It was the third consecutive season of mediocre strikeout and walk numbers for Winkler, who has posted an ERA near 5.00 in two of the past three campaigns. He did have an excellent 2018 season with the Braves, however, a year in which he worked 60 1/3 frames of 3.43 ERA ball with a 27.1% strikeout rate and a 7.8% walk percentage. Winkler’s control has been spotty aside from that year, but he’s maintained a fastball in the 93-94 MPH range and typically generated swinging strikes at an average or better clip.
Winkler will have to earn a big league roster spot, but he should have a good opportunity to do so in Texas. Rangers relievers ranked in the bottom ten in both ERA (4.80) and SIERA (4.48) last year. Joe Barlow, Spencer Patton, Brett Martin and perhaps Josh Sborz looked to have carved out season-opening roles, but the rest of the unit seems unsettled. Brandon Workman, Matt Bush, Justin Anderson and Jesús Tinoco are among the other players who’ll be in camp as non-roster invitees.
Grabbing another ex-Rockie for the pitching staff. Was once a pretty serious prospect back in the day, then blew up his elbow and the friggin’ Braves took him in the Rule 5 draft even though he had just had TJ surgery. And they hung onto him a LONG time to get his rights. Had a couple OK years in low leverage for Atlanta too, but nothing there anymore.
No. I said get me Winker, not Winkler!
It’s a winky kind of day
That is so witty.
Wrong player.. should be winker.. not winkler
They grabbed the next best Wink-named guy before the market dried up
World Series bound Boys!!
Why is this guy always an 85 in mlb the show???
More typical Ranger organization B***S***! I really want to hate them but I like baseball too much.
If you like baseball then you should know that seasons are won by drafting. Not an overnight free agent. This new regime has had ONE year. Give it some time. Mlb will not, I repeat, will not make the Rangers look bad. For one, Arlington well, Frisco is the cash cow for texas if they start to win and MLB knows it
New regime one year? No where close with JD on board! Frisco may be the go to place in several years but Arlington in the middle of the metroplex works for many more years. I stand by my opinion of the organization.
That’s cool. Got the Fonz. Aiiii