Rangers nearing deal with Mike Foltynewicz

The Rangers are closing in on a one-year, major-league contract with free-agent right-hander Mike Foltynewicz, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN (via Twitter). Foltynewicz is a client of Excel Sports Management.

Foltynewicz was a quality starter earlier in his career with the Braves, especially in 2018. That year, he threw 183 innings of 2.85 ERA/3.77 SIERA ball while averaging a career-high 96.4 mph on his fastball and posting a well-above-average strikeout percentage of 27.4. But Foltynewicz’s production dropped off in 2019, when the Braves demoted him to the minors. And even though he did enjoy a late-season rebound in 2019, he wasn’t able to carry that into last year. Foltynewicz made one appearance with the Braves (on July 27) and allowed six earned runs on four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old’s fastball averaged a startlingly low 90.5 mph in that contest, and the Braves then booted him from their 40-man roster. He spent the rest of the year at their alternate site before electing free agency earlier in the offseason.

Foltynewicz will get a chance to bounce back from his horrid 2020 as a member of the Rangers, whose rotation was among the worst in the game last year. Kyle Gibson, Jordan Lyles and Kolby Allard had terrible years a season ago, though Foltynewicz and new acquisitions Dane Dunning and Kohei Arihara could provide reasons for hope.