Rangers to Give Austin Gomber Much-Needed Fresh Start on Minor League Deal

The Texas Rangers have taken in another veteran reliever on a minor league deal who might benefit from pitching in Arlington.

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber pitches in a game. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers have expressed an interest in bolstering both its starting rotation and its bullpen, even after trading for MacKenzie Gore.

The Rangers reportedly added another veteran reliever to its potential rotation options on Sunday, as Just Baseball’s Aram Leighton reported that Texas had agreed to terms with former Colorado Rockies left-hander Austin Gomber. Leighton reported that the deal comes with a Major League spring training invitation. The Rangers have not formally announced the deal and don’t typically announce minor-league contracts.

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Gomber had a rough 2025, as he went 0-7 with a 7.49 ERA in 12 starts. He struck out 34 strikeouts and 17 walks in 57.2 innings. Gomber went on the injured list at one point with shoulder soreness and Colorado released him on Aug. 22. He signed with the Chicago Cubs four days after that on a minor league deal but became a free agent in November.

Austin Gomber’s Rangers Fit

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber pitches in a game in Boston. | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Texas would appear set on the first four spots in its rotation — Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Jack Leiter and Gore. Rangers leadership, including president of baseball operations Chris Young, see Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker as the primary competitors for the fifth spot, with left-hander Cody Bradford an option once he returns from Tommy John surgery, which could be as early as May.

Gomber was mostly a starter in Colorado, where he went 28-44 with a 5.31 ERA in 125 games, with 109 starts. He struck out 445 and walked 173 in 601.2 innings. In five seasons with the Rockies, he had an ERA lower than 5.00 twice. He also won nine games in two different seasons. Last year saw him bottom out, but that happened to a lot of Colorado pitchers in 2025.

It’s possible the Rangers see him as a multi-inning reliever, which was more of his role in 43 games with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018-20. He only started in 15 contests and finished with a 7-3 record and 3.72 ERA. He struck out 94 and walked 47 in 104 innings. His ERA+ — which is adjusted for ballparks — is telling. It was 107 in St. Louis and 90 in Colorado. An above-average ERA+ is 100.

Texas could be banking that a change of scenery from the altitude in Denver to a more normal elevation Globe Life Field might unlock the pitcher Gomber was in St. Louis. It’s likely Texas’ pitching development group will want to adjust the veteran’s mechanics and approach.

It’s a hard road to make the 26-man opening day roster off a minor league deal, especially with Gomber’s awful 2025. It’s more likely he’ll get an option to Triple-A Round Rock, where he could be on stand-by in case Texas faces an injury in its rotation or among its long relievers, led by Cole Winn.