This Rangers offseason acquisition is already paying huge dividends

The Texas Rangers were tasked with rebuilding a departing and battered bullpen. A feat that seemed too big as they attempted to fill the shoes of highly successful veteran relievers.

Chris Young did just that, adding a handful of arms that had extreme upside potential and rode into spring training hoping to find where they fit into the system. One of those arms was left-hander Hoby Milner.

Milner, 34, was signed to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million in December to give the Rangers not only a lefty out of the pen but a unique delivering lefty. Milner is known for his wonky delivery presenting hitters with a tough at-bat.

In 20.2 innings this year, Milner has a 2.61 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 18 strikeouts. It took six games for Milner to give up his first run of the season and he's only given up six total in his 19 games.

This was an interesting signing for Chris Young and the Rangers, Milner has a great 2023 but took a step back last season, finishing the year with a 4.73 ERA. Even in spring training it seemed like a non-needle mover of a signing after his seven games resulted in an ERA over 12.00.

Milner's success is most welcomed especially at this time of the year when Luke Jackson and Chris Martin are injured and Shawn Armstrong is a shaky option to close down games. Miler could provide an answer to the question "Who will close games for the Rangers moving forward?"

It's unlikley we'd see the move of Milner out of his lefty specialist role to a more consistent 8th or 9th inning man. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

Regardless, one thing if for certain as we near 50 games of the season. Hoby Milner's signing has been one the biggest underrated acquisitions of the season, and it's already paying off in some reliable ways for the Rangers' pen.