Deadline Passes as Rangers World Series Reliever Remains with Organization

Texas Rangers reliever Josh Sborz is back to being a reliever for Triple-A Round Rock after making himself available to the rest of baseball.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Josh Sborz. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Friday was an important day for the Texas Rangers — and not just because they started a big series with the Seattle Mariners.

The Rangers learned on Friday that they would be able to hang onto reliever Josh Sborz for a little longer, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant (subscription required). Earlier this week, Sborz exercised a clause in his contract that made him available to the rest of baseball to be signed to a Major League roster. That didn’t happen, so Sborz stays put at Triple-A Round Rock.

Had Sborz been offered a Major League deal, Texas would have had 48 hours to match the deal and put him on the roster. But just because Sborz didn’t get a bite this time around doesn’t mean he won’t later this season.

Josh Sborz’s Next Steps

Texas Rangers pitcher Josh Sborz. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The clause came up at an inopportune time for the Rangers. Texas signed Sborz to a minor league deal in the offseason with the hope that he would push his velocity back to the point where he could be on the Major League roster. He’s pitched well at Round Rock, where he has a 4.32 ERA in eight games. He’s struck out 11 and walked six in 8.1 innings. He also has two saves but was unable to convert his one save chance.

Earlier this week the Rangers needed relief help but didn’t go in Sborz’s direction. They opted to call up Gavin Collyer and Cal Quantrill. But with two opening day relievers on the injured list, along with Luis Curvelo, Texas will need reinforcements at some point. That’s part of the reason why the Rangers were hoping to hang onto the right-handed that recorded the final out in the Rangers’ 2023 World Series victory.

With the deadline passed, Texas can give Sborz more time to build back up so he can join the bullpen at some point. But, it’s not an open-ended arrangement.

Per Grant, Sborz has another opportunity to check out of the deal in June. That’s when he can declare free agency and move on if there isn’t a job with the Rangers.

His ERA was 1.13 after his one inning of work on Tuesday. But it ballooned to its current ERA after giving up three earned runs in an appearance the following game. It was his first back-to-back appearance of the season and Sborz needs to be able to prove to Texas that he can be effective in back-to-back games before a call-up.

Sborz has been with Texas since he was traded to the franchise in 2021. He was non-tendered last November to remove him from the 40-man roster, and the Rangers re-signed him to a minor league deal in the offseason.