Rangers Add Reliever

The Texas Rangers signed pitcher Dominic Leone to a minor-league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training camp, the team announced Saturday.

His signing comes on the heels of the Rangers signing outfielder Robbie Grossman and moving pitcher Brett Martin to the 60-day injured list. It gives the Rangers 71 total players on their active Spring Training roster.

Leone, a right-handed reliever, has pitched for six different teams since breaking into the Majors in 2014 with the Seattle Mariners. That organization drafted him in the 16th-round in 2012.

He has a career record of 21-20 with a 3.69 ERA. He spent the last two seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Last year he went 4-5 record in 55 appearances with a 4.01 ERA, along with 52 strikeouts and three saves.

He didn’t play for Rangers manager Bruce Bochy while in San Francisco, but Bochy should be familiar with Leone. Bochy served as a special advisor for the Giants for three seasons after he pivoted away from managing in 2019.

Leone could be seen as a potential replacement for Martin, who is not expected to return for a while after shoulder surgery in January.

Martin was a consistent piece of the bullpen once he got off the injured list last season. He reached the Rangers roster on April 9 and made a couple of additional IL trips after that, last of which ended his season on Sept. 27 with a left shoulder strain.