The Rangers are signing free agent reliever Declan Cronin to a two-year minor league contract, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Cronin underwent Tommy John surgery last month and will miss next season, so this is about adding bullpen depth for 2027.
Cronin reunites with former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who’ll take over the Texas dugout next season. He led Miami relief pitchers with 70 1/3 innings in 2024, Schumaker’s final season in South Florida. Cronin turned in a 4.35 ERA with solid strikeout and walk rates while getting ground-balls at a 58% clip and looked like a nice find after the Fish grabbed him off waivers the preceding offseason.
The righty began this season on the 15-day injured list after suffering a Spring Training hip strain. Miami optioned him to Triple-A Jacksonville when he returned from that injury. Cronin was pitching with diminished velocity, averaging 91.8 MPH on his sinker in the minors after sitting at 93.4 during his MLB work last year.
Six weeks later, Cronin went on the minor league injured list. He briefly returned in August before getting shut back down with the elbow injury that required surgery. Miami released him to open a spot on the 40-man roster. They could have placed him on the MLB injured list, but they would’ve needed to carry him on the 40-man throughout the offseason. They decided not to do that and cut him loose instead.
The 28-year-old Cronin has just over a year of MLB service time. He’ll presumably get a look in Spring Training two years from now, where he’ll try to earn a middle relief spot. Cronin still has a pair of options remaining.