Rangers narrow bullpen picture after veteran’s hot streak comes to end with release

Rangers release right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier

The Texas Rangers have granted right-handed reliever Ryan Brasier his release, the team announced.

The Rangers signed Brasier, 38, to a minor-league deal with an invite to big-league camp last month. At the time, it seemed he had a good shot to make Texas' Opening Day bullpen, given his nine years of big league experience.

Brasier had a rough start to Cactus League play, allowing three earned runs over 2/3 of an inning during each of his first two outings. He's been lights out since then, allowing zero earned runs, four hits and zero walks with four strikeouts in six innings across six outings. Apparently, that wasn't good enough for the Rangers, assuming Texas had informed the righty he wasn't going to make the Opening Day roster, and that's why he asked to be released.

Now that Brasier won't be on the Rangers' Opening Day roster, it's much easier to predict who will be in Texas' bullpen when the season begins at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on March 26.

Rangers' bullpen plans clearer after Texas releases Brasier despite spring training hot streak

At this point in spring training, it seems clear that the Rangers' Opening Day bullpen will include lefties Tyler Alexander, Jalen Beeks, Jacob Latz and Robert Garcia, and righties Carter Baumler, Chris Martin and Cole Winn. That leaves one open bullpen spot, assuming Texas plans to carry 13 total pitchers.

Righties Luis Curvelo, Josh Sborz are candidates to claim Rangers' final bullpen spot

Sborz, who got the final out of the 2023 World Series, has the most big-league experience of the two candidates. The righty holds a career 4.96 ERA over 163 1/3 innings. But given the fact that he didn't pitch in the majors last season because he was recovering from shoulder surgery, the Rangers may want him to begin the season with Triple-A Round Rock. In eight innings across eight outings this spring, Sborz has surrendered five runs (which came in two of the eight appearances) while collecting seven strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Curvelo, who posted a 5.68 ERA with 20 strikeouts and 10 walks across 19 innings for Texas last season, has allowed runs in just two of his seven outings this spring. He's thrown eight innings in 2026 Cactus League play, collecting 11 strikeouts and allowing zero walks. He's also shown off a new effective changeup this spring.