Two pitchers on the World Series champion Texas Rangers' pitching staff will return in 2024, as left-hander Andrew Heaney exercised his player option and right-hander Jose Leclerc had his club option exercised.
The Rangers announced the moves Saturday, which was the deadline for Heaney to submit a decision. The deadline for the club option on Leclerc's deal was Sunday.
In his first season with the Rangers, Heaney went 10-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 34 games (28 starts) during the regular season. The 32-year-old was 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA in five games (three starts) in the 2023 postseason, picking up his first playoff victory in Game 4 of the World Series with five innings of one-run ball.
Over 10 seasons with the Miami Marlins (2014), Los Angeles Angels (2015-21), New York Yankees (2021), Los Angeles Dodgers (2022) and Rangers, Heaney is 46-48 with a 4.49 ERA in 171 games (154 starts). He was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Marlins.
Leclerc, 29, was 0-2 with four saves and a 2.68 ERA over 57 relief appearances in the regular season. In the playoffs, he went 1-1 with four saves and a 3.29 ERA in 13 relief appearances.
Signed by the Rangers as an amateur free agent in December 2010, Leclerc is 6-15 with a 3.03 ERA in 286 games (three starts) over seven seasons. He has 40 career saves and 384 strikeouts over 293 2/3 innings.
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