Rangers Target Carlos Rodon, Mets Meet

The Texas Rangers have serious interest in signing Carlos Rodon, but others do, too.

The New York Mets had a Zoom call with free-agent pitcher Carlos Rodón on Tuesday, the New York Post reported, giving the Texas Rangers more competition for the left-hander.

The Zoom call, per the Post, was an information-gathering call as the Mets try and sift through their options on the free-agent market.

The Mets are interested in many of the same free-agent pitchers as the Rangers, including Jacob deGrom, who has spent his entire career with the Mets, and Justin Verlander, who just won a World Series with the Houston Astros and is the reigning American League Cy Young winner.

deGrom is expected to get top-dollar on the market. The Post’s own salary expert predicted deGrom would receive more than $40 million per year. Verlander will likely get more than $30 million per year, even at age 39.

Rodón is on the next tier of the free-agent pitching market. Earlier this week the Rangers were reportedly more likely to land Rodón or Japanese free agent Kodai Senga in free agency.

As far back as October, the Rangers have been reported as a team that would make a hard push to get Rodón

Rodón, 29, is an eight-year MLB veteran who went 14-8 for the Giants last season, as he set a career high for victories. Before that he spent his first seven season with the Chicago White Sox. So, while he has no connection to new Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who led the Giants for more than a decade, the Rangers have plenty of experience watching him in the AL.

Rodón has a career record of 56-46 with a 3.60 ERA. He’s been an All-Star each of the past two seasons.

Rodón signed a two-year, $44 million deal before last season. But his deal came with a player opt-out, which was triggered after he threw 110 innings. He threw 178 innings in 2022, which was also a career-high.

The Rangers have three veteran starters under contract for 2023 — Martín Pérez, Jon Gray and Jake Odorizzi.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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