The Texas Rangers seem to be exploring every possible avenue to strengthen their bullpen, even considering a reunion with a former draft pick.
According to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required), the Rangers have reached out to the Tampa Bay Rays about trading for reliever.
Fairbanks, a 31-year-old right-handed pitcher, is well-known to some veteran members of the Rangers’ amateur scouting team, as he was selected by the franchise in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Missouri.
Fairbanks made his MLB debut with the Rangers in 2019, pitching in eight games, but struggled with a 0-2 record and a 9.35 ERA. A month after his debut, Texas traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for utility player Nick Solak.
Since joining the Rays, Fairbanks has developed into their closer. This season, he’s posted a 4-3 record with a 2.75 ERA, earning 18 saves in 21 opportunities. Over the past three seasons, he’s tallied 66 saves.
The Rangers have been a closer-by-committee this season, with seven different pitchers recording at least one save. If Texas were to acquire Fairbanks, it would undoubtedly be to give him first crack at locking down the ninth inning.
This would give pitchers like Shawn Armstrong, Hoby Milner, Robert Garcia and Jacob Webb some, well, relief. The quartet have all pitched in at least 40 games this season. Chris Martin, who is currently on the injured list with a calf strain, has 39 appearances.
Fairbanks has 40 appearances this season and his career high is 49, set in 2023.
The Rangers, per Grant and other outlets, are not limiting their search for bullpen arms to Fairbanks.
Leave a Reply