The Rangers are signing free agent reliever Declan Cronin to a two-year minor league contract, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Cronin underwent Tommy John surgery last month and will miss next season, so this is about adding bullpen depth for 2027.
Cronin reunites with former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who’ll take over the Texas dugout next season. He led Miami relief pitchers with 70 1/3 innings in 2024, Schumaker’s final season in South Florida. Cronin turned in a 4.35 ERA with solid strikeout and walk rates while getting ground-balls at a 58% clip and looked like a nice find after the Fish grabbed him off waivers the preceding offseason.
The righty began this season on the 15-day injured list after suffering a Spring Training hip strain. Miami optioned him to Triple-A Jacksonville when he returned from that injury. Cronin was pitching with diminished velocity, averaging 91.8 MPH on his sinker in the minors after sitting at 93.4 during his MLB work last year.
Six weeks later, Cronin went on the minor league injured list. He briefly returned in August before getting shut back down with the elbow injury that required surgery. Miami released him to open a spot on the 40-man roster. They could have placed him on the MLB injured list, but they would’ve needed to carry him on the 40-man throughout the offseason. They decided not to do that and cut him loose instead.
The 28-year-old Cronin has just over a year of MLB service time. He’ll presumably get a look in Spring Training two years from now, where he’ll try to earn a middle relief spot. Cronin still has a pair of options remaining.
Ya don’t hear about multi year minor league deals too often.
Needs a place to rehab. With all the TJSs going around, more teams should be doing this.
I admire this. I’ve stated many a time what an absolute dog act it is when teams discard TJ players (or any long term injury). An embarrassment to the league. They should address this in the next cba. Have a collective fund & pay rehabbers the minimum.. Have a special 1yr+ DL that doesn’t affect the 40 man. Look after the players.
Anyway, kudos to the Rangers, and good luck Declan.
Not a bad idea. Definitely should be a new long term DL status for pitchers out after TJ.
Don’t they owe him rehab and the use of their facilities even if he’s released? Unless something changed that used to be part of the MLB players deal.
A separate disabled list would only benefit the higher revenue teams so it’s a balance of power issue.