DALLAS — As has been the case now for 50 years in Arlington, the Texas Rangers come into a big league baseball season with the pitching staff as a question mark.
In fact, even though the Rangers spent over half a billion dollars revamping their offense this offseason, there are still doubts ahead of this season that they can turn around a team that lost 102 games in 2021, mainly because the pitching seems iffy at best and bad at worst.
And while it might be true that an immediate lack of quality and quantity in the starting rotation makes contention a dicey proposition for the Rangers, Texas has a chance to have a bullpen corps that surprises in 2022.
In fact, the bullpen in Texas wasn’t even as bad as you might have expected for a team that finished third worst in baseball. In 2021, the Rangers’ relievers sported an ERA of 4.13, good for 14th best in baseball which put them just above middle of the pack.
Gone from 2021 is first half closer Ian Kennedy, who saved 16 games for the Rangers in 2021 before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline last season. In his stead is Joe Barlow, who opens the 2022 season as the closer after claiming the role late last season.
Barlow, an 11th round pick in 2016, made his MLB debut on June 24, 2021 and eventually provided Texas with 29 innings where he struck out 27 batters and saved 11 games in 31 appearances. Joining Barlow for another round with the Rangers are left-handers Kolby Allard, John King, Brett Martin and right-handers Dennis Santana and Josh Sborz.
After finishing the season in the rotation, Allard (5.45 ERA, 33 IP) is expected to take on a hybrid role as the left-handed long man out of the bullpen while King (3.52 ERA, 46 IP) and Martin (3.18 ERA, 62 ⅓ IP) will pitch more impact innings from the left side. Santana (3.63 ERA, 39 ⅓ IP) and Sborz (3.97 ERA, 59 IP) will grab innings for the Rangers when the game calls for a right-hander.
Another familiar face in the Texas bullpen is Matt Bush. After debuting with the Rangers in 2016 after a lengthy and memorable comeback effort, the former No. 1 overall pick for the San Diego Padres in 2004 is on his second comeback after several bouts with injuries. The now 36-year-old pitched in four games at the tailend of the 2021 season for Texas in what appeared to be his swansong reward.
Instead, Bush won a job in the bullpen in 2022 with a stellar spring training effort and, given his experience in the late innings, he could be tasked with being the high-leverage righty out of the ‘pen.
Texas also welcomes a few fresh faces with RHP Garrett Richards, signed after the lockout and RHP Albert Abreu, acquired from the New York Yankees when the Rangers shipped catcher Jose Trevino to the Bronx on Saturday afternoon.
Richards, a career starter, was moved to the bullpen last season in Boston where he collected an ERA of 3.42 in 26 ⅓ innings. Richards will be the first guy out of the bullpen to soak up innings from the right side. Meanwhile, Abreu (5.15 ERA, 36 ⅔ IP) will be trying to reestablish himself in long relief after being a top 100 prospect as recently as 2018 as a starting pitcher in the Yankees’ org.
The Rangers will also see the return of Brock Burke as the right-hander earned a spot in spring training after debuting as a starter for Texas in 2019. After Texas acquired Burke from the Tampa Bay Rays in the three-team trade that sent Jurickson Profar to Oakland, Burke rose through the ranks but was felled by injuries and the pandemic before bottoming out with a 5.68 ERA in 77 ⅔ innings for Round Rock last season.
Burke never left Texas’ radar, however, and he’ll now return to the big leagues as a right-handed longman option to mirror Allard and Richards as someone who could step in and make a start if needed.
In addition, the Rangers have righties such as Spencer Patton, Nick Snyder, A.J. Alexy, and Glenn Otto as potential options down the line while RHP Chase Lee and LHP Cole Ragans open in Double-A Frisco but could eventually make their debuts in the ‘pen for the Rangers this summer.
Two pitchers who won’t be on the Opening Day roster but figure to make an impact later in the season are RHPs Jose Leclerc and Jonathan Hernandez. Leclerc, who saved 26 games for the Rangers between 2018 and 2019, threw two innings in 2020 and then missed all of 2021 following Tommy John surgery.
Meanwhile, Hernandez, who had a breakout campaign during 27 appearances in 2020, also underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2021 season. Both are on track for a return and figure to rejoin the team sometime in June or July to provide a lift to the bullpen.
All in all, the bullpen for Texas has no big names and no potential All-Star performers from the get-go, but it is a unit that has under-the-radar, solid performers and a good bit of depth that will only be enhanced as their most electric arms make their way back this summer.
Who do you think will ultimately lead the team in saves for the Rangers in 2022? Share your predictions with us on Twitter @BaseballTX.