Rangers News: Texas loses pitcher to Reds but rebounds to sign lefty in free agency

The Texas Rangers continue to make moves to shore up their big league roster. Entering the offseason, they had one of the longer to-do lists in the game, but they've now traded for some much-needed power, re-signed their ace, signed a backup catcher, and now they've made their second major addition to the bullpen.

First it was right-hander Jacob Webb, but on Thursday the Rangers brought aboard left-hander Hoby Milner, whose been an oft-used reliever out of the Brewers' bullpen for the past few years.

As of right at this moment, Milner is the third left-handed reliever projected to be on the Rangers' Opening Day roster alongside Jake Latz and rookie Walter Pennington.

In addition to the signing of Milner, the Rangers also freed up a space on their 40-man roster when pitcher Roansy Contreras was lost on waivers to the Cincinnati Reds.

Rangers sign Hoby Milner to one-year contract after Roansy Contreras departure

Milner, 33, is a native to Dallas, Texas and will quite literally be right at home with his new organization. The southpaw has been as durable as they come over the past few years, making no less than 61 appearances in each of the past three campaigns in Milwaukee.

Milner has a unique sidearm windup and doesn't throw very hard. However, his odd mechanics can make it difficult for the opposition to pick up on some of offerings. He doesn't strike a ton of batters out due to his low velocity, but he has a ton of movement on his pitches and has been a very successful pitcher as his career has progressed.

In each of the past three years, Milner has had an FIP in the 3.13-3.16 range, even if his ERA doesn't always match that. He had a 3.76 ERA in 2022 and a 1.82 ERA in 2023 before posting a 4.73 mark this past season. However, his 3.14 FIP last year suggests that he was more unlucky than anything else. In a Rangers bullpen that seriously lacks experience, Milner will be a welcomed addition.

Rangers lose Roansy Contreras on waivers to Reds

Then there's Contreras, who is now a member of the Reds organization. The 25-year-old at one point looked to be a promising starter-in-the-making for the Pittsburgh Pirates before he ran into such significant inconsistencies that they wound up moving on from him.

This past season, the right-hander made 46 relief appearances (and three starts) between the Pirates and Angels, posting a 4.35 ERA, 5.16 FIP and 97 ERA+. At one point, he was projected to be the Rangers' closer in 2025, but he hasn't shown that he's capable of holding down such a role at any time during his four-year career.

We'd call this a worthwhile swap for the Rangers, who badly need capable bullpen arms for 2025.