Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said Friday morning that the club will be “opportunistic on all fronts” to improve its pitching depth.
They pounced on a familiar one later that day.
The Rangers claimed right-handed pitcher Zak Kent off of waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals Friday afternoon. Kent, 27, was drafted by the Rangers and was once among the organization’s top prospects before he was dealt to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for international bonus pool money two years ago.
Kent was the team’s No. 24 prospect at the time of the March 29, 2024 trade, per The Dallas Morning News’ rankings, but a shaky spring and a crowded prospect room made him more expendable. He made his major league debut with the Guardians last season and had a 4.58 ERA in 17 2/3 innings before he was claimed off of waivers by the Cardinals early in the offseason.
Rangers
The former ninth-round draft pick is a starter by trade but pitched a dozen games out of Cleveland’s bullpen last season. The Rangers are in the midst of a bullpen rebuild and long relievers or rotational depth options on small contracts can provide low-risk upside.
The Rangers additionally released left-handed pitcher Anthony Veneziano from a minor league contract to pursue an opportunity in Asia. Veneziano, 28, was signed to a deal with an invite to major league spring training on Dec. 18.
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