Rangers’ Three Best Bullpen Arms Cost Practically Nothing in Free Agency

The Texas Rangers paid almost nothing in baseball terms for three relievers who have proven to be some of the best arms they have to offer.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jakob Junis. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

During the offseason, the Texas Rangers made it clear they weren’t going to spend much money in free agency. But president of baseball operations Chris Young believed there were good arms out there for cheap.

Turns out there were three of them for less than $7 million combined.

Between Tyler Alexander, Jalen Beeks and Jakob Junis, the Rangers have placed three bets on journeymen relievers that have paid off handsomely. In fact, Alexander and Junis have the team’s only three saves, even though the job of closing games belongs to Chris Martin and Rober Garcia.

The Rangers’ New Bullpen Stars

Texas Rangers pitcher Tyler Alexander. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Rangers signed Alexander, the Southlake, Texas, product who pitched at TCU in college, to a $1.13 million deal in December, around the same time they signed closer Alexis Diaz for $2 million. He is down at Triple-A Round Rock trying to find his command. Before last year ended Texas also signed Junis to a $4 million deal with a mutual option next season.

Beeks was essentially an emergency signing. He joined the Rangers midway through spring training on a $1.6 million deal because it needed more left-handed relief help. All three made the opening day roster.

Going into Tuesday’s game with Seattle, here is what each of them have done so far:

Alexander: 0-0 record, 1.59 ERA, five games, 5.2 innings, two saves in two chances, two runs allowed (one earned), five strikeouts, two walks.

Beeks: 1-0 record, 0.00 ERA, six games, 5.2 innings, no runs allowed, four strikeouts, one walk.

Junis: 0-0 record, 0.00 ERA, five games, six innings, one save in one chance, four strikeouts and no walks.

Both Martin and Garcia lost tie games in the Rangers’ sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds last weekend. On Monday Schumaker turned to Junis to get the save in a 2-1 game. Both Martin and Garcia pitched on Sunday.

When Garcia and Martin struggled in the ninth inning of the season’s second game against Philadelphia, it was Alexander who cleaned up the game in the 10th inning and claimed his first save. He claimed his second a couple of days later in Baltimore.

The pair haven’t lost the job officially just yet. But Rangers manager Skip Schumaker isn’t playing favorites. He’s riding the hot hand. Alexander, Beeks and Junis are the three hottest high leverage arms in the bullpen. Texas had nine different relievers that recorded a save last year but had one of baseball’s worst conversion rates.

So far, the trio look like money well spent.