The Hidden Significance of Rangers Giving Blaine Crim His Release

The Texas Rangers are giving one of their former prospects his release and it gives them an opportunity they may need.

Texas Rangers first baseman Blaine Crim. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers are in a pitching pickle for the first time this season.

Jack Leiter is on the 15-day injured list after an ankle injury required him to have surgery earlier this week. He is unlikely to be available until August.

The Rangers ran two pitchers through his spot in the rotation on Tuesday. Cal Quantrill started and then Jose Corniell relieved him. On Thursday, the Rangers optioned Corniell back to Triple-A Round Rock and called up Winston Santos, a Top 5 pitching prospect who hasn’t pitched in a Major League game.

All of this comes as the Rangers used an opener with Kumar Rocker again on Monday, with success, leading one to consider whether Texas will do it again on Saturday? The Rangers have left Saturday and Sunday as TBA for now.

None of that has to do with Blaine Crim, right? Well, not directly.

The Blaine Crim Transactions and Potential Impact

Colorado Rockies first baseman Blaine Crim. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

On Thursday, MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry reported that Crim is being given his release so he could pursue an opportunity in Asia. The former 19th round pick in 2019 out of Mississippi College returned to the organization in May after he was designated for assignment by the Colorado Rockies, who acquired him after Texas did the same last year.

With Round Rock he slashed .263/.345/.461 with three home runs and 15 RBI in 21 games.

The Rangers may not miss Crim at this point, but his departure means something to the organization that has nothing to do with him. When the Rangers claimed Crim off waivers on May 23 that required them to put him on the 40-man roster. With his release, Texas now has a spot on the 40-man roster.

Given the Rangers’ pitching situation, that could be a critical asset in the days ahead.

Texas could use an additional arm. Recently, the Rangers signed Marco Gonzalez, a left-hander, to a minor league deal. He hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2024, but he has starting experience and a 66-50 record with a 4.16 ERA in 170 games, 162 of which are starts. He’s already pitched a game at Round Rock, where he gave up six hits and three earned runs in four innings.

That isn’t to say that Texas intends to promote Gonzalez. But it gives the franchise the freedom to pursue whatever options there may be in free agency. Having an extra 40-man roster spot makes the Rangers’ ability to sign a new pitcher a little easier as it won’t require Texas to designate a player for assignment. It will only require them to move him to the 26-man roster and then option a player back to Triple-A.

Releasing Crim may be the best thing for his future. But it also has the added benefit of helping the Rangers get extra flexibility to add a much-needed arm.