Texas Rangers Linked as Contender to Sign Free Agent Cy Young Winner

Pursuing this Cy Young winner, however, would come with some risk for the Texas Rangers in 2025.

Apr 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) is introduced before a game against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. / David Dermer-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers rolled the dice on starting pitcher Tyler Mahle in 2024. Would they do the same thing for a pitcher with a better pedigree in 2025?

One MLB insider, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, believes the Rangers would be a good fit for Cleveland pitcher Shane Bieber, who is set to hit the market.

But, it comes with a catch — Bieber won’t be available until the second half of the season after Tommy John surgery.

This is the same roll of the dice the Rangers took with Mahle last offseason. Texas signed him to a two-year deal with a low base salary in 2024, knowing that he needed the first half of the season to complete his recovery from the same surgery.

It didn’t work out as hoped. The right-hander did recover from the surgery and eventually joined the rotation, but only for three games. He went 0-1 with a 4.97 ERA, striking out 10 in 12 2/3 innings.

He returned to the injured list with right shoulder tightness and did not pitch again. Texas has him under contract for 2025.

So why try again with Bieber? For one, Mahle has thus far shown to be an average starter in his career. He has a career record of 33-42 with a 4.32 ERA. He’s probably a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Bieber could be more of a home run for the team that signs him.

He won the 2020 Cy Young with an 8-1 record and a 1.63 ERA. He’s won pitching’s triple crown and is a two-time All-Star.

He finished in the top 10 of Cy Young voting as recently as 2022, finishing 13-8 with a 2.88 ERA.

Injuries limited him to 21 starts in 2023 when he went 6-6 with a 3.80 ERA. Last season, he started just two games — and won both — before his injury.

Bowden suggests the Dodgers, Guardians, and Padres are also good fits for the right-hander. He believes Bieber would sign a one-year deal with incentives and options for 2026.

For reference, Mahle’s two-year deal with the Rangers included $5.5 million in 2024 and $16.5 million in 2025, along with $5 million in performance bonuses next season.