The World Series champion Texas Rangers have signed veteran right-hander Tyler Mahle to a two-year deal worth $22 million.
Per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News on social media:
The Rangers have signed right hander Tyler Mahle to a two-year deal, the club announced. Mahle, 29, underwent Tommy John surgery in May.
Expected to miss beginning of 2024 season.
He had a 3.16 ERA in five starts last season with Minnesota.
First off, the deal makes sense for both sides.
1) The Rangers need more pitching. Even though they won the World Series, they have questions in their 2024 and future starting rotation. They are likely to lose Jordan Montgomery in free agency which creates a hole and you can't really count on oft-injured veterans Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Nathan Eovaldi. Having more solid arms in the fold just helps from a numbers game perspective.
2) The deal makes sense for Mahle. By signing a two-year deal, he has a chance to rehab as long as needed in year one. If he's unable to really get going in 2024, he has all of 2025 to re-establish value for another free agent run - all while still taking in $22 million.
3) It's unclear when Mahle will be back. McFarland says he's expected to miss the "beginning" of 2024 but it wouldn't be a shock to see him miss most of 2024, as Tommy John is typically a 12-14 month return. He could be an option for the team in June, July or not at all. It's why the two-year deal is paramount for him to not feel rushed.
The 28-year-old right-hander made five starts this past year for the Minnesota Twins, going 1-2 with a 3.16 ERA. He struck out 28 batters in 25.2 innings.
He debuted in 2017 with the Cincinnati Reds and has posted a 33-41 career record with a 4.30 ERA.
The Twins acquired him in August of 2022 for three of their top-30 prospects: infielder Spencer Steer, pitcher Steve Hajjar and infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand.
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