Texas Rangers Designate Drew Smyly for Assignment

The Texas Rangers made a handful of roster moves this afternoon, including designating Drew Smyly for assignment, per John Blake, opening a new spot on the 40-man roster. The Rangers will now have ten days to trade him, release him, place him on waivers, or outright him to the minors.

The Smyly option does not really come as a surprise to anyone, as he lost his rotation job with the Texas Rangers a few weeks ago, and had been really bad since the start of June, both in the rotation and out of the bullpen. He has posted an ERA of 12.79 across four games and has allowed 18 runs in 12.2 innings.

The Rangers will likely look to trade Smyly, but due to the $7 million he is owed for this season, they would likely have to take on most of his salary.

He could potentially accept an assignment to the minor leagues, and try to rediscover himself likely in Frisco or Nashville. Placing him on waivers probably wouldn’t do anything for Smyly, given that his salary, and the team that claims him would be on the hook for it.

The most likely scenarios for the Texas Rangers and Drew Smyly, assuming he refuses to accept an assignment to the minor leagues, would be that they trade him, and take on most of the money that he is owed, or release him, with his release being the most likely.

Locke St. John was given Smyly’s 40-man spot, and the 26 year-old has been lights out between AA and AAA this season, posting a 1.56 ERA across 34.2 innings (26 games).

It appears that Jesse Chavez will take over the fifth starter spot for the time being, but he will not see the full workload of a starter, as the Rangers will likely keep his outings under five innings. This will likely be how the team will use the fifth spot until they either acquire another starter, Taylor Hearn returns (after a rehab start or two in Nashville), or another starter forces his way up to the majors.