The Rangers have agreed to a minor league contract with right-handed reliever Jesus Tinoco, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Presumably the Rep 1 client will head to big league camp this spring.
It’s a reunion between the two parties, as Texas was also Tinoco’s most recent MLB club. He pitched 20 2/3 innings of 2.18 ERA ball for the 2022 Rangers, fanning 21.4% of his opponents against a more concerning 11.9% walk rate. Tinoco’s run with the Rangers was mostly solid, but he’ll also forever be remembered by many as the pitcher who had the distinction of serving up Aaron Judge’s record-setting 62nd home run late in the ’22 campaign.
Tinoco, 28, spent the 2023 season with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He notched a tidy 2.38 earned run average with the Lions but did so with a below-average strikeout rate (18.2%) and a shaky walk rate (12.5%) that resembled his 2022 marks in Texas. Tinoco, who was famously traded alongside Jose Reyes and Miguel Castro in the 2015 blockbuster that send Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins from Colorado to Toronto, has a career 4.05 ERA in 66 2/3 big league frames.
The Rangers have a few spots at the back of the bullpen solidified, where Jose Leclerc, Josh Sborz, Brock Burke, Cody Bradford and recently signed Kirby Yates all seem likely to have roles. But there’s still competition for the remaining few spots and likely will be, even if GM Chris Young and his staff still make another veteran addition or two before the end of the offseason.
Clofreesz
I find him underrated in 2022. He needs to work on the walks, then he would be a great reliever.
RedFraggle
Does anyone ACTUALLY remember him as the pitcher that gave up Judge’s 62nd home run?
LordD99
I remember watching him give up the HR, and remember hearing the broadcasters mention how pitchers don’t want to be known for giving up historic HRs, and thought I will never remember this guy’s name. Sure enough, forgot about him until just now. Will now forget his name again.
Ted
Nobody thinks of Judge’s 62nd as “record setting” either.
CO Guardening
Remember him more for being one of three prichers the Rockies got for Tulo. A doomed trade if there ever was one. Nobody panned out in that trade except for Latroy Hawkins.
AHH-Rox
Jeff Hoffman was decent in the bullpen for the Phillies this season. But pretty much a bust with the Rockies.
LordD99
It’s an American League and team record, so baseball fans and baseball historians do. Unfortunately for the game, all players who hit more HRs in a season were in the NL and on PEDs.
GoGreen
Welcome back. Hope to see that 4 seam heat again. I remember it having great late action rise.
Monkey’s Uncle
I have a Tinoco credit card for my gasoline on the road. High interest rate but the cash back bonus is decent.
Jacksson13
Vowing to repeat as World Series Champions, the Texas Rangers sign……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
JESUS !!
baked mcbride
Nobody f$&@s with the Jesus!
Monkey’s Uncle
“Ah, Jesus! I like him very much, but he no help with curveball”.
Chev Chelios
Yeah, I remember his short stint in Texas last year…maybe the FO sees something they can do to help him to be more productive
Rangers also have Mike Maddux to rub that shoulder
GoGreen
Hahaha yes I love seeing Maddux apply the Vulcan grip during a mound visit.
deGrom/Langford Texas Ranger
@Chev
Do you have any trade proposals for Bednar/Clase/Williams without Carter/Langford?
SonnySteele
They signed Jesus just in time for Christmas.
Guyerbassist
What a great off season this has been guys. I thought they would be aggressive to try and repeat but so far nothing.
deGrom/Langford Texas Ranger
Yates, Leclerc, 2 of Antoine Kelly/Chase Lee/Marc Church/minor league invites, and 1 of Burke/Sborz is still just 5 guys. Trade for Bednar/Clase/Devin Williams and sign a mid level RP and this team is set to co.pete against Houston with Wyatt and Evan co.ing up. Maybe, they can deal Duran and 1 of Leiter/Porter/Owen White for any of those guys and see what happens.
Guyerbassist
They don’t need a mid level. After winning I would have thought they’d continue to go all out. Obviously not ohtani (although seeing how all his money is deffered, id be a bit pissed if rangers didn’t match the offer), but if you’re not going to sign him, then get Hader and a mid-top line starter and a DH
deGrom/Langford Texas Ranger
The problem is that the team wants to get a starter, a few relievers, a few bats, and some depth. They don’t know how to prioritize, so they should get Hader, but the draft picks and mobey may be too much if rhey want to fill 5 different needs. I want Hader badly, but Texas may prefer Montgomery.
Guyerbassist
I’d be OK with Monty as long as they don’t pull another Perez and way overpay to keep him.
I think if they really wanted to, they could resign Monty, sign Hader, and then call up Langford to dh. On days that Garcia needs a half day you could dh him and swap in Langford for dh. They should be OK at starter with others coming back from injury and then degrom at the end of the year.
Or I suppose you could trade for a package of a starter and reliever. I would say Cleveland… But living here in Ohio I’m not sure I would pay the asking price for Bieber when he can just walk at the end of the year and class was shaky at times last year.