The Rangers announced on Friday that they’ve signed right-hander Edinson Volquez to a minor league contract that contains invitations to Major League Spring Training for both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Volquez underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career late in the 2017 season and won’t pitch in the 2018 campaign.
The two-year minor league deal, though, will give him a year to acclimate to the Rangers’ medical staff and rehab/training facilities with an eye toward returning to the Majors on their 2019 roster. SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets that Volquez would earn a $2MM salary in 2019 if he makes the roster and has another $4.5MM worth of incentives in the contract’s second season. Volquez is represented by Wasserman.
The signing represents a homecoming for Volquez, who signed his first professional contract with the Rangers as an 18-year-old amateur back in 2001. Now 34 years of age, Volquez will still earn a $13MM salary this season as part of the two-year, $22MM pact he signed with the Marlins last offseason. Miami is still on the hook for the full $13MM after releasing him last year.
After a rough second season in a two-year deal with the Royals (2015-16), Volquez looked to be on his way to rebounding with a solid 2017 effort this past season. His masterful 10-strikeout no-hitter against a potent D-backs lineup was one of the highlights of the Marlins’ season and of his 13-year big league career. Overall, Volquez worked to a 4.19 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 5.2 BB/9, 0.78 HR/9 and a 45.8 percent ground-ball rate in 92 1/3 innings.
Unfortunately for both Volquez and the Marlins, he incurred a knee injury in July that sidelined him into August, and, upon working his way back from that malady, suffered a torn UCL that necessitated the TJ procedure.
It’ll be a long road back to the Majors for Volquez, though by the time Spring Training 2019 rolls around, he’ll be nearly 18 months removed from surgery, so he should be plenty strong at that point. There’s little downside in the deal for Texas, as the only thing they’re guaranteeing him is resources for his rehabilitation as he works back toward a potential return to the big leagues.
Nice!
Why the Marlins wouldn’t sign him to the same exact deal with minimal guaranteed money for 2019 makes no sense.
Because it’s the Marlins.
It’s the Marlins. That should be enough for you to realize what you just said
Obviously he was aware-he was taking one more shot at the marlins. For 108 years everyone has said the same thing about the Cubs.
This is a good signing for the Rangers. He can be in the rotation next season.
Its good for the rest of the AL West.
World Series winner won’t be coming out of that division anyway next season.
Two TJ surgeries and coming back in his age 36 season, returning as a starter might be optimistic. I suspect a bullpen role might be in his future, if he makes it back and is effective.
The chips are starting to fall!
I don’t see a two year minor league deal very often
Jon Daniels being creative with this thinking ahead move. No risk, maybe some reward
Yep, that’s his mantra for the most part.
Just need to find Danks and Diamond and the Rangers future can be re revisited.
Why it Texas picking up the Marlins garbage?
Why you no speak no good?
So round two with this guy ugggh. A two year minor league deal huh? Guess the Rangers wanna Rehab another Josh Hamilton. Shoulda went out and got a really good outfielder or trade off someone to get the marlins catcher. Coulda went totally a different way here.
Why did Pineda and Smyly get major league deals but he only got a minor league one?
Younger and more upside.
Volquez has a 6.5 career bWAR in 13 years
Pineda has 8.6 in 5 years
Smyly has 9.6 in 5 years
Volquez is a bad pitcher. Ceiling is 5th starter with a 1 WAR. Won’t hit it.
Astros just gave their approval.
Jose Bautista is actually their owner so he gave the approval
Jose “punching bag” Bautista? That’s funny.
They’ll be the Lastros again soon enough…
I’m not sure if you’re aware of how good the Astros are and how bad the Rangers are going to be for the next 3-5 years. Your team is gonna be garbage.
Welcome home, Edison!
Damn autocorrect “Edinson”
I always thought the Volquez for Hamilton trade was the worst damn trade I’d ever seen, and thenHamilton had 22.7 WAR for Texas, Volquez put up 4.3 WAR for the Reds, haha – why did the Reds do that, again?
Wow, the Rangers are looking to win the 2006 World Series with these signings!
More age and more age to an already bad pitching staff. Ranger fans, I hope you have the stomach to endure some really bad years ahead.