BREAKING: Rangers Acquire Veteran Star Reliever on a Stunning Deal

Rangers Acquire Veteran Star Reliever on a Stunning Deal. The Texas Rangers have claimed right-handed pitcher Roansy Contreras off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels, according to ESPN‘s Kiley McDaniel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contreras, a former top pitching prospect, joined the Angels in a cash deal with the Pirates back in May. He’s still under team control for four more seasons, but has exhausted his minor league options.

 

 

 

 

At 24 years old, and about to turn 25 next week, Contreras was a key prospect in the trade that sent Jameson Taillon to the Yankees, where he was once ranked among the top 100 prospects in baseball.

 

 

 

 

Roansy Contreras‘ bumpy career so far

Roansy Contreras showed promise during a solid 2022 season with the Pirates, logging 95 innings with a 3.79 ERA. While his strikeout rate of 21.1% and walk rate of 9.6% were slightly below average, they were still respectable. At just 22, he averaged nearly 96 mph on his fastball, suggesting he was poised for a stable role in Pittsburgh’s rotation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, the 2023 season was a different story. Contreras struggled to a 5.91 ERA in his first 11 starts, and his average fastball velocity dropped by 1.5 mph. His strikeout, walk, home run, and ground-ball rates all saw significant declines.

 

 

 

 

 

After moving to the bullpen, Contreras’ performance did not improve; he allowed five runs in just one-third of an inning in his first relief appearance, resulting in a total of 13 runs over 12 innings in the majors following the transition.

 

 

 

 

 

In 2024, Contreras had a season that fell between his previous two years, finishing with a 4.35 ERA while playing for both the Pirates and Angels. Although his strikeout and walk rates remained below average, he added a two-seamer to his repertoire, which helped elevate his ground-ball rate to 44.4%.

 

 

 

 

 

Securing a roster spot with the Texas Rangers

The former Angels pitcher struggled with hard contact but saw a slight drop in both average exit velocity and hard-hit rate compared to his 2023 performance, particularly after his trade to Los Angeles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Contreras mainly relied on a mid-90s four-seam fastball, which he threw 37.6% of the time, and a mid-80s slider, used 25% of the time in 2024.

 

 

 

 

While he may not secure a spot on the Rangers’ 40-man roster this offseason, players like him often move through waivers as teams look to bolster their depth. If he stays with the Rangers into the spring, he could serve as a valuable option for the back of the rotation or the bullpen.

 

 

 

 

 

Injuries and inconsistent pitching depth hindered the Rangers in 2024, costing them a postseason spot after their 2023 World Series win. Acquiring Contreras, along with other similar players over the winter, is a proactive move to enhance their pitching depth for the 2025 season.

 

 

 

 

 

Contreras offers the Rangers an affordable bullpen option, especially as they face potential losses of key relievers like Kirby Yates, David Robertson, José Leclerc, and José Ureña—who accounted for the bulk of the team’s bullpen innings in 2024—to free agency this winter.