With five relievers signed this offseason, the Texas Rangers could go to spring training with Chris Martin as the top candidate to be the closer in 2025.
The signing of right-hander Chris Martin is a boon for the Texas Rangers. He throws a ton of strikes and in the Rangers’ minds has been one of the most consistent relievers in baseball since 2018.
But he has saved only 14 games in his big-league career, working primarily in the seventh or eighth innings for some really good teams with really good closers working the ninth. That might change this season.
Rangers general manager Ross Fenstermaker said on Tuesday that the Rangers are comfortable with Martin and any of the other four relievers they have acquired this offseason winning the closer’s role in spring training.
The Rangers haven’t closed the door to acquiring a closer, like re-signing Kirby Yates or trading for Ryan Helsley, but Fenstermaker suggested that they aren’t burning up the phone lines to get one.
“I don’t think it’s a specific need, per se,” Fenstermaker said. “I think it’s something that we’re going to entertain if those opportunities present themselves.
“But we do feel we have multiple relievers right now in the ‘pen who are capable of closing. We’ll let that sort itself out, but I wouldn’t say that we are actively looking for any specific role at this point, more just adding quality to the ‘pen if possible.”
Chief among the pool of free-agent relievers is Yates, who saved 33 games for the Rangers last season and was an American League All-Star. Helsley, who worked with Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux in St. Louis, is thought to be available via trade.
Martin, 38, has some closing experience, collecting 21 saves in 2016 with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. He said that he filled in at closer for the 2023 Red Sox after Kenley Jansen was injured late in the season.
Seventh, eighth or ninth? It doesn’t matter to Martin.
“I’ve always pitched behind some pretty good relievers, so I learned from some good guys,” said Martin, who signed a one-year deal. “Obviously, I think I can do it. It’s not really something that bothers me. I think it’s basically the same as still in the sixth, seventh or eighth. Your goal is to go in there and get outs without runs on the board.”
Fellow newcomers Shawn Armstrong, Jacob Webb and Hoby Milner have a combined 15 big-league saves, and Robert Garcia doesn’t have any early in his career. Fenstermaker said that the Rangers would prefer to get young internal relievers like Marc Church acclimated to the majors before handing them the closer’s role.
Armstrong, Milner, Webb and Garcia have pitched more than one inning, something that the Rangers will need with the rotation short on innings. Fenstermaker said that starters who don’t crack the season in the rotation are candidates to work as multi-inning arms, too.
The Rangers have arms. In Martin, they might have found their closer.
“Our goal was to add as many guys as possible with leverage experience, and ultimately let that sort itself out as we get into camp and a little bit closer to breaking for the season,” Fenstermaker said. “But Chris, I think, is certainly capable of doing that along with others, and we’re just excited to add him to the group.”
Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com
