The 2018 Texas Rangers: Where are they now?

During the month of February, I am going to be posting a series called “Where are they now?”.  In this series, the rosters for the Texas Rangers teams will be investigated.  In the 7th installment, players from the 2018 team will be examined. (All stats used were extracted from baseball-reference.com)

The Texas Rangers continued their slide with a record of 67-95, good for last place in the AL West in 2018.  This would be the second of five consecutive losing seasons for the Rangers.

2018 Texas Rangers Starting Pitching

In December 2017, Mike Minor signed a three-year free agency contract with the Texas Rangers.  In 28 starts, Minor had a record of 12-8 with a 4.18 ERA.  Minor was traded to Oakland on August 31, 2020 in a deal that brought Texas MILB Player-of-the-Year, Dustin Harris, to the Rangers organization.  Minor had four starts with Oakland in 2020, and then was granted free agency.  Minor returned to Kansas City after the 2020 season and is currently a member of the Royals starting rotation.

Bartolo Colon finished his MLB career pitching for Texas in 2018.  At 45, Colon pitched 28 games with 24 starts.  Colon had a record of 7-12 with a 5.78 ERA.  At the end of the 2018 season, Colon elected free agency.  At 48, Colon is currently a member of the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.

Cole Hamels was in his 4th season in Texas in 2018.  In 20 starts,  Hamels had a record of 5-9, and a 4.72 ERA.  On July 27, 2018, Hamels was traded to the Chicago Cubs.  After leaving Texas, Hamels made 40 starts over parts of three seasons for two teams.  Hamels made a comeback attempt with the Los Angeles Dodgers in August 2021, but arm pain forced him to the 60-day injured list.  Now 38, Hamels is currently a free agent.

Yovani Gallardo finished his MLB career pitching for Texas in 2018.  In 18 starts, Gallardo pitched 92.0 innings, had a record of 8-8, and a 5.77 ERA.  Today, Gallardo still resides in Fort Worth, TX.

Martin Perez was in his 7th season with the Rangers  in 2018.  In 22 games, including 15 starts, Perez pitched 85.1 innings, and went 2-7 with a 6.22 ERA.  Perez was granted free agency after the 2018 season.  Perez pitched one season in Minnesota and the last two seasons in Boston.  Perez is currently a free agent.

In his final season pitching in MLB, Doug Fister made 12 starts for Texas in 2018.  Fister pitched 66.0 innings, with a 1-7 record, and a 4.50 ERA.  Fister retired from professional baseball before the start of Spring Training in 2019.

Matt Moore pitched one season in Texas.  In 39 games, including 12 starts, Moore pitched 102.0 innnings, had a 3-8 record, and a 6.79 ERA.  After the 2018 season, Moore was granted free agency.  Moore made two starts with Detroit in 2019 and pitched 24 games with Philadelphia in 2021.  Moore is currently a free agent.

Ariel Jurado was a rookie pitcher with Texas in 2018.  Jurado pitched in 12 games, including eight starts.  In 54.2 innings, Jurado had a record of 5-5 with a 5.93 ERA.  Jurado pitched one more season in Texas before he was traded to the New York Mets in August 2020.  Jurado made one start with the Mets in 2020 before he was granted free agency.

2018 Texas Rangers Bullpen

Keone Kela was in his 4th season in Texas in 2018.  Before a trade to Pittsburgh, Kela pitched 36.2 innings in 38 relief appearances, had a record of 3-3, with a 3.44 ERA, and 24 saves.  Kela was traded to the Pirates on July 31.  Kela pitched parts of three seasons in Pittsburgh before signing as a free agent with San Diego.  Kela was granted free agency after the 2021 season and is currently a free agent.

Alex Claudio was pitching in his 5th season in Texas in 2018.  In 66 games, including one spot start, Claudio pitched 68.1 innings, had a 4-2 record, a 4.48 ERA, and one save.  Claudio was traded to Milwaukee after the 2018 season.  Claudio pitched two seasons in Milwaukee and the 2021 season for the Los Angeles Angels.   In January, Claudio signed a free agent contract to pitch the 2022 season with the New York Mets.

Jose Leclerc was in his 3rd season with the Rangers in 2018.  In 59 appearances, Leclerc pitched 57.2 innings, had a 2-3 record, a 1.56 ERA, and 12 saves.  Leclerc pitched one more season in Texas before he required Tommy John surgery in 2020.  Leclerc is expected to return to the Rangers bullpen by mid-season in 2022.

Chris Martin was in his 1st season in the Texas bullpen in 2018.  In 46 relief appearances, Martin pitched 41.2 innings, had a record of 1-5, and a 4.54 ERA.  Martin pitched half of the 2019 season with the Rangers before being traded to Atlanta for current Rangers pitcher Kolby Allard.  Martin pitched the last two seasons for Atlanta and is currently a free agent.

Jake Diekman was in his 4th season with Texas in 2018.  In 47 relief appearances, Diekman pitched 39.0 innings, had a record of 1-1, a 3.69 ERA, and two saves.  Diekman was traded to Arizona before the trade deadline at the end of July.  After leaving Texas, Diekman has pitched for three teams including the last three seasons in Oakland.  Now 35, Diekman is currently a free agent.

Jesse Chavez pitched part of the 2018 season with Texas before being traded to the Chicago Cubs.  Chavez made 30 relief appearances before the trade, finished 56.1 innings, had a record of 3-1, with a 3.51 ERA, and one save.  Chavez returned to Texas in 2019 and pitched two seasons for the Rangers.  He was granted free agency after the 2020 season and pitched for Atlanta in 2021.  At 38, Chavez is currently a free agent.

Austin Bibens-Dirkx was pitching in his 2nd season in Texas 2018.  In 13 games, including six starts, Bibens-Dirkx pitched 45.0 innings, had a record of 2-3, with a 6.20 ERA.  Bibens-Dirkx pitched parts of 2019 and 2020 with the Texas AAA team in Nashville before pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers AAA team in Oklahoma City in 2021.  He is a current member of Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League.

Tony Barnette was in his 3rd season in Texas in 2018.  In 22 relief appearances, Barnette pitched 26.1 innings, had a record of 2-0, and a 2.39 ERA.  Barnette was granted free agency following the 2018 season.  Barnette made two relief appearance with the Chicago Cubs in 2019 before announcing his retirement in January 2019.  Barnette is currently working in baseball operations and scounting for his former team in Tokyo, Japan.

Matt Bush was in his 3rd season pitching out of the bullpen for the Rangers in 2018.  In 21 games, Bush pitched 23.0 innings, had a record of 0-0, and a 4.70 ERA.  Now 36, Bush  is once again healthy, and will make a bid for a job in the Rangers bullpen in 2022.

2018 Texas Rangers Starting Position Players

Robinson Chirinos was the primary catcher for the Texas Rangers in 2018.  Chirinos was in his 6th season with Texas.  In 113 games, Chirinos hit for a .222 AVG, 18 HR, 65 RBI’s, and two SB.  Chirinos was granted free agency after the 2018 season.  Chirinos played the 2019 season in Houston, then returned to split 2020 between Texas and the New York Mets.  In 2021, Chirinos played for the Chicago Cubs.  Chirinos is currently a free agent.

Ronald Guzman was the primary 1B as a rookie in 2018.  In a career best 123 games, Guzman hit for a .235 AVG, 16 HR, 58 RBI’s, and one SB.  Guzman played parts of three more seasons in Texas.  Guzman was granted free agency after the 2021 season.

Rougned Odor was the starting 2B for Texas in 2018.  Odor was in his 5th season playing for the Rangers.  In 129 games, Odor hit for a .253 AVG, 18 HR, 63 RBI’s, and 12 SB.  Odor played two more seasons in Texas before being traded to the New York Yankees in April 2021.  In November, the Yankees released Odor and he signed a free agent contract to play with Baltimore in 2022.

Elvis Andrus was the starting SS for the Rangers in 2018.  Andrus was in his 10th season playing with Texas.  Andrus played 97 games and hit for a .256 AVG, with six HR, 33 RBI’s, and five SB.  Andrus would play two more seasons in Texas before being traded to Oakland.  Andrus played his first season in Oakland in 2021 and will return to play for the A’s in 2022.

Adrian Beltre was the starting 3B for Texas in 2018.  Beltre was playing in his 8th season in Texas.  In 119 games, Beltre hit for .273 AVG, 15 HR, and 65 RBI’s.  Beltre retired from MLB after the 2018 season.

Joey Gallo primarily played LF for Texas in 2018.  Gallo was playing in his 4th season with the Rangers.  In 148 games, Gallo hit for a .206 AVG, with 40 HR, 92 RBI’s, and three SB.  Gallo played parts of three more seasons in Texas before being traded to the New York Yankees before the trade deadline in 2021.

Delino DeShields was the primary CF for the Rangers in 2018.  Deshields was playing in his 4th season with Texas.  In 106 games, DeShields hit for a .216 AVG, with two HR, 22 RBI’s, and 20 SB.  DeShields played one more season for the Rangers before being traded to Cleveland.  In 2021, DeShields played AAA in the Rangers organization before being purchased by Boston then Cincinnati.  Now 29, DeShields is currently a free agent.

Nomar Mazara was in his 3rd season as the starting RF for the Rangers in 2018.  In 128 games, Mazara hit for a .258 AVG, with 20 HR, and 77 RBI’s, and one SB.  Mazara played one more season in Texas before he was traded to the Chicago White Sox.  After leaving Texas, Mazara played one season with the White Sox and one season with Detroit.  He is currently a member of the San Diego Padres.

Shin-Soo Choo was the primary DH for Texas in 2018.  It was in his 5th season playing with the Rangers.  In 146 games, Choo hit for a .264 AVG, with 21 HR, 62 RBI’s, and six SB.  Choo played two more seasons in Texas before moving back to Korea to play in 2021.  Choo is a current member of the SSG Landers of the KBO.