Texas Rangers Start Offseason By Claiming Reliever From AL West Rival

The Texas Rangers began assembling their 2025 Major League roster with a waiver claim of a right-handed reliever.

Aug 4, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Roansy Contreras (57) reacts after throwing the final out against the New York Mets during the ninth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers made their first offseason transaction of 2024 on Thursday, claiming right-handed pitcher Roansy Contreras off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels.

Texas has vacant bullpen spots and the front office must figure out whether it can re-sign or must replace Kirby Yates, David Robertson and Jose Leclerc. Yates and Leclerc are free agents, while Robertson has a mutual option with Texas for next season.

Contreras could be an option as a set-up man or even a swing starter after he 2024 with both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Angels. He was 2-4 with two saves and a 4.35 ERA in 68 1/3 innings. He made 49 appearances, including three starts.

He broke in with the Pirates in 2021 and is 10-16 with three saves and 4.72 ERA in four MLB seasons. He has appeared in 90 games, including 33 stars.

He made his mark in 2022, his rookie season by service time. He was mostly a starter for the Pirates, pitching in 21 games with 18 starts and going 5-5 with a 3.79 ERA. Among National League rookie pitchers he ranked third in opponent batting average (.225), fifth in ERA and fifth in strikeouts (86).

He struck out 8.15 hitters per nine innings, the fifth-best mark of any Pirates rookie in club history.

Contreras has been in professional baseball for nearly a decade. He was signed by the New York Yankees in 2016 out of the Dominican Republic. At the time of his signing he was considered the top Dominican pitching prospect by Baseball America.

He was traded to Pittsburgh in early 2021 to for pitcher Jameson Taillon.

The Rangers currently have 33 players on their Major League 40-man roster. The team has decisions ahead in free agency, along with the Rule 5 Draft coming up in December.