Rangers Release James Loney
The Rangers have announced they’ve released veteran first baseman James Loney. They’ve also optioned righty Eddie Gamboa to Triple-A Round Rock and reassigned outfielder Jared Hoying to Round Rock. In addition, righty Anthony Bass and catcher Steven Lerud have been told they haven’t made the team, according to MLB.com’s TR Sullivan (on Twitter). Bass will head to Round Rock, while Lerud’s destination isn’t yet known.
The Rangers signed Loney to a minor-league deal in January after he posted a .265/.307/.397 line in 366 plate appearances last year for the Mets. The team signed Mike Napoli the following month to occupy their vacant first base position, however, and Loney did himself few favors in camp, batting .174/.224/.261.
Once a productive player with the Dodgers and Rays, the 32-year-old Loney’s production has slipped in recent seasons, and he hasn’t posted a positive fWAR since 2014. He’ll likely attempt to catch on elsewhere, but he might be hard-pressed to find another big-league job until he proves himself again in the minors.
Rangers Interesed In Wily Peralta
- Some Rangers officials watched Brewers righty Wily Peralta start this weekend as Texas continues to look for rotation depth, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. It’s been a rough pair of seasons for Peralta, who was limited to 108 2/3 IP in 2015 due to an oblique injury and then posted a 6.68 ERA through his first 13 starts last season. After a demotion to the minors, however, Peralta returned in good form, posting a 2.92 ERA over his final 61 2/3 innings. Peralta will earn $4.275MM this season and isn’t eligible for free agency until after 2019, so Grant notes that he would fit the Rangers’ preference for a controllable pitcher. Milwaukee and Texas have already linked up on two trades since David Stearns took over as the Brewers’ GM, most notably last summer’s five-player swap that saw Jonathan Lucroy join the Rangers.
Rangers Table Extension Talks With Jonathan Lucroy
The Rangers and Jonathan Lucroy have tabled negotiations about a contract extension, the catcher tells Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). It isn’t known whether the two sides will re-open talks prior to Opening Day or afterwards. Since many players prefer to avoid having contract talks carry into the season, it could mean that the Rangers have only a small window remaining to work out an extension with Lucroy or else he’ll explore free agency next winter.
Lucroy, who turns 31 in June, is entering the last season of a five-year, $11MM extension signed when he was a member of the Brewers in March 2012. Even with the Rangers exercising their club option on Lucroy for 2017 to add an extra $5MM to that total, Lucroy clearly far outperformed that deal by becoming one of the game’s best catchers. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projects Lucroy as the best available position player (and fifth-best free agent overall) in terms of earning potential in his most recent Power Rankings of the 2017-18 free agent class.
Obviously the Rangers would have an interest in continuing their association with Lucroy, though there hasn’t been that much buzz about talks between the two sides. GM Jon Daniels said in late December that only some “informal” chats had taken place, and more serious negotiations had yet to begin as of just a month ago. Also, the Rangers recently signed backup Robinson Chirinos to an extension through the 2018 season with a club option for 2019. While Chirinos’ deal is modest enough that he could easily still fit as Lucroy’s understudy, it is perhaps telling that Texas has already struck a move to secure a Plan B should Lucroy depart.
It has been a very busy day for Rangers extension news, with this Lucroy item joining an agreement between Texas and Rougned Odor on a six-year, $49.5MM extension and reports of talks between the Rangers and Nomar Mazara about a multi-year commitment.
Rangers Discussing Extension With Nomar Mazara
The Rangers have been in talks with outfielder Nomar Mazara about a contract extension, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link), though there aren’t any signs that the two sides are close to a deal. Mazara is represented by ISE Baseball, an agency that has negotiated early-career extensions for such notable players as Madison Bumgarner, Andrelton Simmons, Chris Archer, Paul Goldschmidt, Yordano Ventura, and Julio Teheran in recent years.
Mazara has just one year of MLB service time under his belt, debuting last April to replace the injured Shin-Soo Choo and sticking with the Rangers throughout the season. Mazara got off to a big start over his first two months in the bigs before cooling off the rest of the way, though his 20 homers and .266/.320/.419 slash line in 568 PA was particularly impressive given that he was the youngest player in baseball (Mazara turns 22 next month).
Mazara already has one big payday to his name, having signed a $4.95MM bonus as an international free agent with Texas when he was just 16 years old. Rangers GM Jon Daniels has generally been aggressive in locking up young players he believes will be cornerstone pieces for his team, with Rougned Odor reportedly very close to joining that list.
Martin Perez (who had a year and 38 days of service time at the time of his extension) is the only Rangers player extended quite as early in his career as Mazara would be if he indeed put pen to paper before Opening Day. Perez’s deal guaranteed him $12.5MM over four years with another $20.05MM available if Texas exercises all three club option years. It’s safe to assume that a Mazara extension would have a roughly similar framework, though likely for more money since Perez’s deal came over three years ago. Gaining cost certainty on Mazara now would also help Texas avoid a potentially larger payout to the outfielder through his arbitration years if he gained Super Two eligibility.
Tanner Scheppers Dealing With "Lower Core" Pain
- Rangers righty Tanner Scheppers left his club’s game today with what the team is describing as “lower core” pain, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. His outlook won’t be known until he undergoes an MRI, but as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com notes on Twitter, the injury seemingly opens the door for Rule 5 pick Mike Hauschild to make the club. He has impressed in 17 1/3 frames this spring, allowing six earned runs on 15 hits and five walks while recording 15 strikeouts.
A.J. Griffin Has All But Clinched Rotation Spot
- Rangers manager Jeff Banister all but confirmed Friday that right-hander A.J. Griffin has locked down a rotation spot, tweets Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Grant reported earlier Friday that a starting job was likely for Griffin, who will slot in behind Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez. The banged-up Andrew Cashner could rejoin the Rangers by April 15, the first time they’ll need a fifth starter.
Rangers "Going Internally" For Rotation Help
- The Rangers “have had conversations with other clubs” about acquiring starting pitching, though they didn’t delve into the “top end” of the trade market, general manager Jon Daniels told MLB Network Radio (Twitter link). Daniels doesn’t expect to land another starter from outside the organization, as he noted that the Rangers are “going internally” to address their rotation. Texas won’t need a fifth starter until April 15, when Andrew Cashner could return from biceps tendinitis, and it appears they’ll slot A.J. Griffin in as the No. 4 option behind Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Martin Perez, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The recovering Tyson Ross (shoulder) figures to join the starting five when he makes his 2017 big league debut, which could happen in early May.
Latest On Rougned Odor Extension Talks
- The Rangers have increased their offer in extension talks with Rougned Odor, though “it isn’t believed to be where the player wants it to be.” Heyman suggests that Odor’s representation could see Jason Kipnis‘ six-year, $52.5MM extension with the Indians “as a baseline,” whereas the last time we heard of talks between the two sides, Texas had offered a deal only “in the range of” the Kipnis deal. Odor’s team isn’t expected to make a counter offer, so Heyman feels the talks could be tabled altogether. There isn’t necessarily any rush to get an extension done, as Odor is still under team control for four more years, though he’ll start to get more expensive next winter when he becomes eligible for arbitration.
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Rangers Notes: Ross, Bench
Rangers righty Tyson Ross threw his first live batting practice session today, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (Twitter links). The twenty pitch outing proceeded without issue, which leaves Ross on track for a somewhat more rapid timeline to return to MLB action than had been anticipated. Per Wilson, the bounceback candidate — who’s returning from thoracic outlet surgery — could be available as soon as early May. Texas will pay Ross $6MM this year, with up to $3MM available in incentives, in hopes that he can return to the form that made him one of the game’s more effective starters over the 2013-15 seasons.
- With some questions in the rotation, especially early on, the Rangers may elect to carry a deep relief unit while relying on just three bench players, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. The key to that arrangement is the versatility of Jurickson Profar and Ryan Rua, who could share time in left with Delino DeShields while also filling in wherever else they’re needed. Profar is primarily an infielder by trade, and that’s where Rua spent most of his minor-league career — though he has played mostly in the outfield in the majors.
Rangers Agree To New Contract With Robinson Chirinos
2:25pm: Chirinos will earn $2.25MM next year and the option is valued at $2.375MM ($100K buyout), Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. There are also escalators based upon how many times he comes to bat in the upcoming campaign.
2:05pm: The Rangers have announced the extension of a catcher — but not the one who has grabbed headlines thus far over the offseason. Reserve backstop Robinson Chirinos has agreed to a new deal that will guarantee his 2018 salary and tack on a club option for the following campaign. Salary terms have not yet been reported.
While Texas may yet agree to a new deal with starter Jonathan Lucroy, who’ll be a free agent after they season, the club now has some insurance — or, at least, a reserve option — in place. Chirinos was eligible for arbitration for the final time in 2018 after agreeing to a $1.95MM salary for the upcoming campaign. The deal gives the Rangers control over him for an additional season.
Certainly, there’s cause to think that the 32-year-old Chirinos could be a semi-regular option if Lucroy ends up moving on. Over the past three seasons, he has compiled a .233/.307/.437 batting line and contributed 32 long balls over 781 plate appearances. That’s solidly average offensive production, which is better than can be said for most catchers.