Texas Rangers Sign Relief Pitcher Anthony Bass

The Texas Rangers have agreed on a deal with 29-year-old right-handed relief pitcher Anthony Bass. He has not pitched in the Major Leagues since 2015 with the Rangers.

The pitching depth continues to grow for the Texas Rangers this off-season as they add relief pitcher Anthony Bass. A one-year deal for Bass, but an opportunity for him to prove himself at the MLB level once again.

In 2016 Bass pitched with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan. Before that Bass pitched with the Rangers in 2015. He went 0-0 4.50 ERA in 33 games with Texas that season. Bass was once a highly regarded prospect of the San Diego Padres organization.

Drafted in the 5th round of the 2008 amateur draft by the Padres. He made his MLB debut in 2011, and burst onto the scene going 2-0 1.68 ERA in 27 games (three starts). Bass was used as a starter for most of his minor league career, but converted into a relief pitcher at the MLB level.

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In 2015 Bass turned strictly into a relief pitcher, but struggled to find his groove. He was traded to the Houston Astros during the off-season of 2013, hopeful that a change of scenery would help. Bass posted a 6.33 ERA in 21 games with two saves before being released by the Astros.

Once Bass joined the Rangers in 2015, he began to find his groove again. His struggles with command continued to haunt him as he walked 20 batters in 64 innings. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners in the off-season of 2015. He was released by the Mariners so he could continue his career in Japan.

Bass went 8-8 3.65 ERA in 37 games (14 starts) in Japan last season. His solid performance in Japan earned him another shot with the Rangers in 2017. The Rangers have a crowded bullpen heading into 2017, but Bass could add some quality pitching depth to the organization.