ARLINGTON, Texas – The Texas Rangers have reached a one-year, $4 million agreement with right-handed pitcher Jakob Junis, seeking to strengthen their bullpen. The information was confirmed by a source, although the club has not yet made the deal official.
Junis, 33, joins the Rangers after becoming a free agent for the fourth time in his career. The 2025 season marked his first experience as a full-time reliever.
In his time with the Cleveland Guardians, the right-hander proved to be a reliable piece in the pitching staff, accumulating 66.2 innings with an ERA of 2.97.
After registering an ERA of 4.64 before the 2024 season, Junis experienced a notable improvement, achieving an ERA of 2.83 in 133.2 innings during the last two campaigns. This reflects an evolution in his repertoire.
His main weapon continues to be the slider, a pitch he used in approximately 45% of his deliveries in recent seasons. Hitters only batted .238 against this pitch, with a strikeout rate of 31.4%, thanks to its characteristic sweeper-type lateral movement.
The biggest transformation in his arsenal was the increase in the use of the changeup, which went from less than 10% to about 20% of his pitches, an adjustment driven by the Cleveland coaching staff. With this pitch, Junis limited his opponents to only three extra-base hits, without allowing home runs, and achieved 15 strikeouts.
Although his fastest pitches were not the most effective, the right-hander managed to minimize the damage by allowing only one home run with both his four-seam fastball and his sinker.
One aspect to follow in his career is the decrease in speed in his fastball, which has lost just over a mile per hour in recent years. Even so, Junis presents himself as a valuable option for the Rangers, who are looking for stability and experience in their bullpen for next season.
