Texas Rangers Add Another Block To Bullpen Rebuild And Didn't Have To Go Far To Find Him

Left-handed reliever Hoby Milner, who attended Paschal High School and the University of Texas, has been a steady hand for the Milwaukee Brewers the past three seasons.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Hoby Milner (55) throws during the first inning of their game against the Texas Rangers Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Texas Rangers added another block to their bullpen rebuild.

And they didn't have to go far.

The Rangers signed left-handed reliever Hoby Milner to a one-year minor league deal, according to multiple reports, including MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, who first reported the move on Thursday. The Rangers have not yet announced the deal.

Milner, who turns 34 on Jan. 13, was born in Dallas and raised in Fort Worth. He attended Paschal High School and pitched three seasons for the University of Texas. The Philadelphia Phillies selected him in the seventh round of the 2012 MLB Draft.

Milner has pitched in 220 games for the Milwaukee Brewers over the past four seasons. All but one of those appearances was in relief. He was 5-1 with a save and a 4.73 ERA in 61 appearances (64 2/3 innings) in 2024. He had a 1.82 ERA in 64 1/3 innings in 2023.

Milner joins right-hander Jacob Webb, who the club signed last week, in a bullpen that lost closer Kirby Yates, set-up man David Robertson and veteran relievers Jose Leclerc, and Andrew Chafin to free agency.

Neither Milner nor Webb have worked as a closer, so the Rangers remain in the market for a backend bullpen arm — or three — this winter.

After an excellent rookie season with the Phillies in 2017 in which he had a 2.01 ERA in 31 1/3 innings, he was traded to Tampa Bay for cash in July 2018. He pitched for the Los Angeles Angels in 2020 before signing with the Brewers before the 2021 season. Milner came into his own with the Brewers, compiling a 3.76 ERA in 64 2/3 innings in 2022. He has pitched at least 64 innings in the past three seasons. The only start of his career came against the Rangers on June 25 in Milwaukee when he allowed a run on two hits in two innings ahead of the primary pitcher Bryse Wilson, who pitched the next six innings and earned the win.

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