Rangers Designate Kohei Arihara, Select Tyson Miller

The Texas Rangers announced that right-hander Kohei Arihara has been designated for assignment. The move opens up a roster spot for reliever Tyson Miller who has been selected to the roster.

Arihara, 30, joined the Rangers after the 2020 season on a 2-year, $6.2MM contract, with an additional $1.24MM spent on his posting fee to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He posted a poor 6.86 ERA in 40 2/3 innings during the 2021 season and followed it up with a weaker 9.90 ERA in 20 innings this season. He fared better in the minors, logging a 4.88 ERA in 72 innings in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League this year. That’s come with a 20.4% strikeout rate, 5.8% walk rate and 52.8% ground ball rate.

With the trade deadline now passed, the Rangers will have no choice but to put him on outright waivers or release waivers. Since he was outrighted earlier this year, he’ll have the right to refuse another outright assignment and elect free agency. If he signs a new contract with another team, that club will only have to pay him the prorated league minimum salary. The Rangers would be on the hook for the remainder of his salary.

Miller, 27, makes his return to the show after he was briefly up with the team earlier this year as a COVID replacement, pitching three innings over two games. Since he was a COVID replacement, he was able to be removed from the roster without being placed on waivers. The rest of his season has been spent at Triple-A, throwing 83 2/3 innings with a 4.73 ERA. He has a strong 29.5% strikeout rate but a worrisome 10.4% walk rate. Since he’s been largely working as a starter, he’ll give Texas an option in the bullpen for a multi-inning outing.