The Rangers are in agreement with veteran reliever Ryan Tepera on a minor league deal, according to the transactions log at MLB.com. He’ll report to Triple-A Round Rock.
Tepera sticks in the AL West, where he’s spent the past year-plus with the Angels. The right-hander signed a two-year, $14MM free agent contract with Los Angeles coming out of the lockout. He’d had a quality run between the Chicago clubs from 2020-21. The Halos surely envisioned something approximating the 3.07 ERA he posted over 86 contests during those two seasons.
Things didn’t play out that way. Tepera didn’t find his footing in Anaheim. He pitched to a 3.61 ERA over 57 1/3 innings last season. That’s solid enough run prevention, but his strikeout rate fell from an excellent 31.9% clip between 2020-21 to a modest 20.3% last season.
His struggles carried into the first month of this season. Tepera allowed nine runs (seven earned) on 15 hits in 8 2/3 frames over ten outings. His average fastball velocity sat at 91.7 MPH, down a tick relative to last season and nearly two miles per hour below his 2020-21 level. His slider lost a similar amount of speed. The Halos designated him for assignment a month ago and released him a few days later.
Tepera is making $7MM this season. The Angels are on the hook for that money; if Texas adds him to the MLB roster, they’d owe him only the prorated portion of the $720K league minimum. There’s no financial downside for the Rangers in giving Tepera a look to see if he can more closely approximate his peak numbers in a new environment.
Texas’ bullpen has been the roster’s relative weak point. The Rangers sit at 41-25, three and a half games clear of the Astros in the AL West. The relief corps has struggled, though, ranking 24th with a 4.57 ERA.
if you cant beat ‘em, recruit ‘em
No downside to this minor league deal. Hopefully they can work through his issues and straighten him out. If not, no harm, no foul.
Former MVP candidate Ryan Tepera had to settle for a minor league deal?
He will at least be helping the Angels now.
Don’t let him throw 4 seamers. Sticking to cutter/slider and sinker will do him good.
Why Herget now, dumbo?
Because Nevin is sad Tepera is gone. He would have put him in last night and we’d still have the same result today either way.
But seriously, Tepera never really looked confident in Anaheim.
I wish him the best of luck though, just not against the Angels
I wouldn’t have minded at all if the Cubs had taken a shot. Certainly would of preferred him over slugs like Duffey, Nittoli and Neidert. But hey I wish him the best of luck.
They may have tried, but it’s possible he had multiple offers and chose a contender.
Good
Too bad we couldn’t face him this week.
He’s gonna save a game against the Angels I just know it.
The Rangers bullpen needs all the help it can get.