Rangers sign reliever Jakob Junis to one-year deal

The Texas Rangers, looking to solidify their bullpen depth, signed right-handed reliever Jakob Junis on Tuesday.

A source previously confirmed to ESPN that the one-year deal is worth $4 million.

Texas also signed 2023 World Series reliever Josh Sborz to a minor league contract Tuesday.

Junis, 33, excels at throwing strikes and avoiding hard contact. With the Cleveland Guardians last season, he put up a 2.97 ERA in 57 appearances, striking out 55 batters and issuing only 18 walks in 66⅔ innings in his first season working exclusively out of the bullpen.

Junis came up as a starting pitcher with the Kansas City Royals and remains capable of pitching multiple innings. For his nine-year career, he has put up a 4.36 ERA in 847 innings while walking just six percent of the batters he has faced.

Junis is one of several relievers added to a Rangers bullpen that has undergone a lot of turnover the last two years, joining the likes of Alex Diaz, Tyler Alexander, Carter Baumler, Zak Kent and Chris Martin, the latter of whom returned on a similar one-year, $4 million deal.

The Athletic first reported Junis’ agreement with the Rangers.