Rangers bolster bullpen with Jakob Junis for one season

ARLINGTON, Texas.– The Texas Rangers have reached an agreement for one season and US$4 million with right-handed pitcher Jakob Junis, with the aim of strengthening their bullpen depth, according to a source at MLB.com. The club has not made the deal official.

You may be interested in:Dodgers agree with Kyle Tucker for four years and US$240 million Junis, 33, reached free agency for the fourth time in his career, although for the first time after a season in which he performed exclusively as a reliever. In 2025, with the Cleveland Guardians, the right-hander responded to the coaching staff's confidence by recording 66.2 innings with an ERA of 2.97, establishing himself as a reliable piece in intermediate situations. After presenting an average of 4.64 earned run average (ERA) before the 2024 season, Junis showed a notable improvement in preventing runs, with an 2.83 ERA in 133.2 innings over the last two campaigns, reflecting an evolution in his repertoire. His main weapon continues to be the slider, a pitch he used in about 45% of his deliveries during the last seasons. Rival batters barely hit .238 against that pitch, with a strikeout rate of 31.4%, thanks to its marked lateral movement type sweeper. The most significant transformation in his arsenal came with the increase in the use of the changeup, which went from less than 10% to about 20% of his pitches, an adjustment driven by Cleveland's coaching staff. With that pitch, Junis limited opponents to only three extra-base hits, without allowing home runs, and achieved 15 strikeouts. Although his fastest pitches were not the most effective —with high batting averages against—, the right-hander managed to minimize the damage by allowing only one home run with both his four-seam fastball and his sinker. One of the tracking points in his career is the decrease in speed, as his fastball has lost just over a mile per hour in recent years. Even so, Junis is shaping up to be a valuable option for the Rangers, who are looking for stability and experience in their bullpen heading into next season.

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