Texas Rangers Add Juan Nicasio to Compete for Relief Role

The Texas Rangers continue to add bullpen insurance as the offseason progresses signing Juan Nicasio to a minor league deal.

The Major League free agency market has come to a virtual standstill in recent days as teams seem content to wait on somebody else to make the first move that will start a chain reaction. At the top of the free agent list sit Nick Castellanos and Marcell Ozuna, both reported targets of the Texas Rangers. Intertwined in free agency through sit a primed trade market that seemingly boasts superstar talents Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant, Francisco Lindor and Mookie Betts. Despite big names still waiting to find out their 2020 situations, the Rangers continue to add depth on minor league deals, most recently agreeing to a contract with right-handed reliever Juan Nicasio that includes a Spring Training invitation.

Nicasio, 33, has had a bit of a journeyman career to this point with the Rangers representing the 7th franchise he will have been a part of since the 2011 season. Over the course of his career, Nicasio has posted a 4.64 ERA and 3.91 FIP. He has a strikeout per nine innings rate of 8.3 and career WHIP of 1.421 in 719 total innings. Those numbers don’t jump off the page but his under 4.00 FIP is evidence of perhaps some average fielding behind him resulting in an elevated ERA.

In 2019, Nicasio made 47 appearances for the Phillies and threw 47.1 innings, all in relief. He finished the year with a 4.75 ERA but a 3.87 FIP, a drastic difference. He posted a 0.5 fWAR, the fifth straight season he’s managed to end the year with a positive fWAR. His best season according to fWAR value came in 2013 when he featured as a starter for the Colorado Rockies. He made 31 starts, throwing just under 160 innings finishing with a 5.14 ERA, 4.25 FIP and 2.0 fWAR. However, as a reliever, his best season is much more recent coming in 2017 when he spent time with the Pirates, Phillies and Cardinals amassing 76 relief appearances and 72.1 innings pitched. He ended the year with a stellar 2.61 ERA and 2.98 FIP. The correlation in his improved ERA and FIP was seen in his BABIP which dropped dramatically from .331 in 2016 to .276 in 2017.

At this point, it seems Nicasio will be given the chance to compete for a relief role in the big league bullpen during the Spring. The Rangers have seen a lot of shuffling in their bullpen this offseason with Shawn Kelley, Jeffrey Springs and Emmanuel Clase all departing in various manners. The only set role at this point seems to be Jose Leclerc reclaiming his job as closer after an up and down 2019 campaign. Rafael Montero and Jesse Chavez are likely to feature heavily with prospect Demarcus Evans looking like a name to watch during Spring Training this year.