Texas Rangers Sign Two Pitchers to Minor League Deals

General manager Jon Daniels continues adding to the pitching depth of the Texas Rangers. They’ve signed two pitchers, but what kind of impact will they have on the Rangers 2018 roster?

The Texas Rangers will be without starter Martin Perez until at least May. Perez broke a bone in his right elbow in a freak accident at his ranch in Venezuela. The Rangers expect Perez to miss the beginning of the 2018 season.

In the meantime, the Rangers have signed right-handed pitchers Austin Bibens-Dirkx and Erik Goeddel. Both pitchers were signed to Minor League deals and have received an invite to Spring Training.

Bibens-Dirkx pitched in 24 games for the Rangers last season. He went 5-2 with a 4.67 ERA and started six games. The 32-year-old was a rookie in 2017, and could be a rotation option to start the season.

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The Rangers also added Goeddel, but he’s likely going to stick in the bullpen. He went 0-1 with a 5.28 ERA in 33 games with the New York Mets last season. The 28-year-old should compete for a spot in the Rangers bullpen.

Neither of these moves are “blockbuster” transactions, but do give the Rangers depth. Losing Perez is going to hurt, but hopefully Texas has enough depth to cover it. Bibens-Dirkx has started with Texas, and should be considered a lead candidate to fill-in.

The off-season isn’t anywhere near over, so more signings or trade could potentially happen. The rotation and bullpen were huge problems in 2017. Daniels has made enormous strides to improve the team at a low-cost.

It’s a long season and having players like Goeddel and Bibens-Dirkx are important. Both have MLB experience and have some success at this level. Look for the Rangers to continue adding depth throughout the off-season.

General manager Jon Daniels continues adding to the pitching depth of the Texas Rangers. They’ve signed two pitchers, but what kind of impact will they have on the Rangers 2018 roster?

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