The Rangers announced Wednesday that they’ve signed right-handers Shane Greene and Jonathan Holder to minor league contracts with invitations to big league camp this spring. Texas also confirmed its previously reported signing of righty Austin Pruitt to a similar pact.
Greene, 35, was at one point a high-leverage bullpen arm with both the Tigers and Braves, pitching to a combined 3.25 ERA with 64 saves and 35 holds in 221 2/3 innings from 2017-20 between the two clubs. He reached free agency on the heels of that stretch but didn’t end up signing until the following May, when he returned to the Braves. Greene struggled to a 7.23 ERA in 28 innings after that delayed start to the season and hasn’t had much of an opportunity to get back on track since; he’s pitched just six MLB innings over the past two campaigns.
The Cubs inked Greene to a minor league deal last year and got three sharp innings out of him late in the season. Coupled with a dominant showing their Triple-A club in Iowa (1.75 ERA in 25 2/3 frames) that performance surely piqued the interest of the Rangers and others. It’s been several years now since Greene found success in the big leagues, but his track record is mostly solid and there’s no risk for the Rangers to bring him to camp and see how he looks this spring.
Holder, 30, was solid for the Yankees back in 2017-18, notching a tidy 3.42 ERA in 105 2/3 innings while whiffing 22.6% of his opponents against an excellent 6.1% walk rate. However, shoulder troubles have limited the right-hander in each of the 2019, 2021 and 2022 seasons. He pitched just 23 innings between the minors and big leagues combined from 2021-22 and hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2020.
Holder spent the 2023 season with the Angels after inking a minor league contract last winter. The results weren’t pretty — 5.40 ERA — but Holder was healthy enough to rack up 66 2/3 innings. That’s something of a success story in and of itself, given his prior shoulder troubles. He fanned nearly a quarter of his opponents with Salt Lake last year but also saw his once-pristine walk rate inflate to an untenable 12.9%.
The reigning World Series champs have some uncertainty both in their bullpen and in their rotation, the latter due in no small part to injuries for Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. They’re also facing some questions about their television broadcast situation, which has played a role in the club’s far more timid offseason than the recent free-agent extravaganzas that brought in deGrom, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Jon Gray and others. The bulk of the remaining offseason resources could be allocated to the rotation, so it’s not a surprise to see Texas GM Chris Young loading up on non-roster veterans in hopes of finding some low-cost relief help this spring.
Holder? I barely know her!
that’s all good and everything but we’re still waiting on you to resign Montgomery.
Couple of ex Yanks.
35. I agree though. I haven’t seen him in forever.
Greene seems like a good signing. Still, I hope these guys aren’t the major BP acquisitions, along with Kirby Yates. They should at least go for 1 elite reliever via trade or some free agent like Neris, Maton, Robertson, etc if not Hader. NRI money should be allocated to starters, and the remaining few mil should go to the BP instead of wasting it on a first half starter.
Greene has had some solid numbers in the past but when he didn’t sign untill late in the 2021 season I think it screwed him up, he hasn’t had too many chances since, if given a shot I think he could still be a good middle reliever. I could see the rangers getting Robertson too though!
Rangers did a little too little so far. They lost Montgomery (unless they bring him back) and really got nobody to replace him.
I understand they are struggling financially since their tv Station went broke and can’t sign a 150+ million guy but so far they clearly got worse, fangraphs depth charts projects them for 82 wins behind the astros (90) and mariners (85 wins).
There is still time do do something but I would like to see a little more effort for defending the ws title. They don’t need a huge addition, just a 2 war starter and 2 solid relievers, pitching is too thin and you can’t count on degrom and scherzer coming back
Fangraphs sucks, but I agree on the BP. However, I trust one of 2 of these new signings to work out (out of 3) since Greene is decent and the former EPA chief’s son Pruitt is so good.
I think the pen additions are solid depth pieces but pruitt had a 2.98 era but a 4.17 fip and played in a very favorable ballpark.
But for middle innings he could be fine.
Ownership is crying that they are poor? Aren’t they literal billionaires? I get it we can’t all be the dodgers but watching pitchers go off the board one by one while our team is like “HeY we GoT anoTHer StaRtEr ThaT won’t be ready till the second half” is a bit annoying.
They could have offered ohtani the same deal dodgers did with that deferred money (not saying I think they should have necessarily), and all post season I was hearing “oh just wait, they are gonna get Hader for next year” if you want him GO GET YOUR MAN.
The whole first half of the season you have to pray that nate doesn’t get hurt because frankly, who else do you have to start games that you honestly trust. Gray is good but 1/3 starts gives a clunker. Heany and dunning I think worked way better as bullpen arms in short stints. Their idea of shoring that up is to get ANOTHER guy with injury issues that won’t even be ready till mid year
So are they going to sign anyone or not? I was so excited we spent big and won that I just assumed CY was going to try and repeat here but it looks like same old rangers getting scraps and not at the big boy table again. Yes I know we just won the WS and alot of that team is returning, but alot of those players had career years last year. You can’t just sit back and not go for it