Feb. 10: The Rangers formally announced a minor league deal and spring training invitation for Brasier this morning.
Feb. 6, 11:46am: It’ll be a minor league deal with a non-roster invitation to spring training once the deal is complete, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
10:47am: The Rangers are finalizing a deal with right-hander Ryan Brasier, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. It’d be a homecoming for the ALIGND Sports client, who was born in Wichita Falls, Texas and attended college in Weatherford, just 40 miles west of Arlington.
Brasier spent the 2025 season with the Cubs but was limited to just 26 innings thanks to a pair of groin injuries — one which kept him out of action for nearly two months. He logged a 4.50 earned run average when healthy and set down 19% of his opponents on strikes while recording a tiny 4.8% walk rate. A .321 average on balls in play — 30 points higher than average and 40 north of Brasier’s career mark — at least partially inflated his ERA. Metrics like SIERA (3.74) and FIP (3.17) were more bullish.
Injuries have hampered the now-38-year-old righty in each of the past two seasons. In 2024, Brasier tossed 28 innings with the Dodgers, missing considerable time due a right calf strain. He was generally effective that season as well, logging a 3.54 ERA with a 22.7% strikeout rate and another excellent walk rate (4.5%).
Overall, Brasier’s last three seasons have been solid — at least when he’s been healthy enough to take the mound. He’s put a nightmare 2022 season (5.78 ERA in 62 1/3 inning) in the rearview mirror, bouncing back with a combined 3.48 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate, two saves and 20 holds in a total of 113 2/3 frames. That said, it’s worth noting that last year’s 94 mph average four-seam velocity was down substantially from the 95.7 mph he averaged as recently as 2023. Perhaps accordingly, his 9.7% swinging-strike rate was a career-low — and the first time in his career that he’s posted a mark decidedly south of the league average (11%).
Whether a healthier Brasier will be able to regain some of the lost velocity and strikeouts in his age-38 season remains to be seen, but the right-hander still possesses excellent command. He keeps the ball on the ground at a roughly average rate and has managed to avoid home runs over the past three seasons (0.63 HR/9).
If he makes the roster, Brasier will be the latest low-cost addition to a Rangers bullpen that has given out one-year deals to veterans Chris Martin, Alexis Diaz, Tyler Alexander and Jakob Junis this season. It’s the second straight year that Texas brass has cobbled together its relief corps primarily by way of low-cost free agent deals. It worked out quite well in 2025, as the Rangers got strong results from Martin, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb and Shawn Armstrong.
Finding success on that many one-year pickups of relievers — perennially MLB’s most volatile performers — isn’t a sustainable way to put together a bullpen, but reductions in payroll in recent seasons have pushed president of baseball operations Chris Young to take this sort of piecemeal approach. Ideally, the Rangers would see some of their younger arms step up to fill some of the spots, just as Cole Winn did in 2025. Winn will be one of the primary setup options for closer Robert Garcia, whom Texas acquired in the trade sending Nathaniel Lowe to Washington last winter.


Awesome to see him still going. He was such a cool surprise for the Sox in 2018.
Meow – Agreed!
Now where is his ‘Godfather? @olmtiant
You RANGGGG
Hahaha! As soon as we read the headline,the first thought of all was, “Olmmmmmmmmmm!”
Can’t lie guys, was hoping for Colorado , road trip for big Bill Russell / Jim Otto birthday,crazy thing first game west of St. Louis… I’ve been to more stadiums that have been demolished than still standing.. 20 plus total…
olm – Wouldn’t it be cool if your other favorite, Ort, also signs with the Rangers?
Fever (and others): keeping fingers crossed but my spouse is due to come home finally tomorrow (Wednesday). I had to learn wound care yesterday. Yuck! Thanks again all for helping me get through this situation. It truly makes you realize that for all our disagreements online, it’s just baseball.
Dewey, please know RS Nation is sending healing prayers your way…Time for your “baseball buddy” to be home next to you …
FPG… Family is sick of my story already, but they continue to laugh at foul ball by Cedric Mullins that knocked me off ‘ bar stool ‘ seating down left field line in Orts first MLB save game!!!!
dewey – Yes my fingers are crossed!
Of course, I can totally relate. Baseball is a great diversion. As much as I love baseball and the Red Sox it always takes a backseat to family and friends …. especially spouses.
To quote an excellent movie, it’s not the Red Sox who love you back ……
Thank you Olmtiant but she’s not into baseball. Last game I took her to was Yankees-Red Sox the Saturday before 09/11. We were given luxury seats that came with the Yankees’ Diamond Club buffet and she was more interested in the food than in the game…
Fever, did you see how Lindor may have hamate bone surgery? They’re saying six weeks recovery. Didn’t Papi have a similar surgery years ago where he was not the same when he came back? Story to the Mets?
dewey – I did not know that about Lindor! Yeah I just have this feeling Story might be gone, $55M is way too tempting for John Henry. Both the Phillies and Mets could use him, and of course they are bitter rivals, soooooo …….
I want Story here to lead this group. Everyone talked about Bregman last season but Story was leading the way well before Bregman arrived, even when he was hurt.
Dewey – Absolutely. It was ridiculous how last year Bregman got all the love and Story was treated like the ugly redheaded stepchild, even after he began hitting like crazy. Shiny new toys …
Are you Officer Mac or Officer Foster? Don’t hold back Meow
Anyone remember when he dominated for the Angels through 9 innings back in 2013? Good times.
I thought he retired about a month ago?
That was Ryan Pressly.
Thank you. Getting old sucks. Mixing up names is just the beginning.
Both 38-year-old right-handed relievers named Ryan who are Texas natives that were traded to the Cubs in what amounted to salary-dump deals. Pretty easy to confuse them!
Steve, I’d love to see you dominate at Baseball Trivia.
Wait until you get to the “didn’t I play ball with that guy?” stage and look it up to make sure you were right. 😂
Reds – Ricky got to that stage in his 30’s LOL
Hope he can return to his late-2023 form. He was absolutely impossible to get on base against.
AL West rivals improving. Okay.
My Guy!!! From deep dish pizza to great bbq… well done my friend!!! By the way, any chance you can play 2b… oh never mind .. congrats on landing in home state!!
Olm – He’s gonna really enjoy playing with Martin, they have much in common!
It’s always shocking to see guys I signed as teens in Out of the Park Baseball like 15 years ago still playing.
This guy owns two World Series rings. Not a bad career.
A guh guh guh groin, guh guh groin injuryyyy-Sam Malone, Eye on Sports.