Rangers Bring Back Familiar Face With Signing
The Texas Rangers have added a familiar arm to their pitching depth, signing left-handed reliever John King to a minor-league contract after he was released by the Miami Marlins. The move gives Texas another experienced option as the club pushes toward the postseason.
King, 31, had a solid overall season in Miami despite a difficult finish. He recorded a 3.99 ERA across 49⅔ innings and 50 appearances, along with 33 strikeouts and 17 walks. His 1.01 WHIP also shows how effectively he limited baserunners for much of the season.
The left-hander’s recent struggles, however, played a role in his departure from the Marlins. Since the All-Star break, King surrendered 13 runs over 9⅔ innings, with his performance declining sharply during August. Miami ultimately released him last week.
For Texas, this represents something of a homecoming. The Rangers originally drafted King in 2017, and he reached the major leagues with the organization in 2020. He spent parts of four seasons with Texas, throwing 126⅓ innings before moving on to the St. Louis Cardinals.
King later spent three seasons with St. Louis before signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal with Miami during the offseason. His return to Texas now gives the Rangers an inexpensive source of left-handed bullpen depth.
The Rangers signed King to a minor-league deal, so he will initially provide depth at Triple-A Round Rock rather than immediately taking a spot in the major-league bullpen. Because his contract was finalized before the postseason eligibility deadline, he technically remains eligible for a playoff roster spot if Texas ultimately decides to promote him.
King’s style could also make him an interesting option for Texas. He has traditionally relied on his sinker and ground-ball ability rather than overpowering hitters with strikeouts. His ground-ball rate has remained one of the strengths of his profile, giving him a potential path back to the Rangers’ bullpen if he can regain his earlier-season form.
The timing is particularly notable because Texas is fighting for a postseason position. The Rangers therefore have little reason to ignore an experienced pitcher who has already demonstrated that he can be effective at the major-league level.
While King is not guaranteed to make the postseason roster, the reunion gives Texas another potential option heading into the final stretch. If he can rediscover the form that produced a 3.99 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in Miami, the Rangers could have found a useful piece at a very low cost.
