The Rangers Ink a One-Year Deal with Jakob Junis

At 4 p.m. Sunday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that right-handed pitcher Jakob Junis agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Texas Rangers. Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News later confirmed that the contract includes a mutual option for 2027. This is a very solid signing for the Rangers with their current budget restrictions.

Jakob Junis, a former starting pitcher, has transitioned effectively to the bullpen. In 2025 with the Cleveland Guardians, he posted a 2.97 ERA across 66⅔ innings. He also limited opponents to an OPS below .700 and a batting average of .254. While Junis does not record many strikeouts, he excels at staying in the strike zone and keeping walk totals low. Additionally, hitters did not make much hard contact against him. He ranked in the 82nd percentile for barrels allowed, and opponents’ average exit velocity against him was 87.6 mph, placing him in the 87th percentile.

Junis’s most effective pitch is his change-up, which he throws about 20% of the time. Though the pitch does not grade highly in traditional metrics, it produces excellent results. With a spin rate of 1,312 RPM, the change-up moves similarly to his sinker, keeping hitters off balance. In 2025, opponents batted just .160 against it, with a slugging percentage of .233. His secondary pitch is a gyro-slider, which he throws 44% of the time and also uses effectively. Opponents hit .238 against it, with a slugging percentage of .362.

Junis also throws a sinker and a four-seam fastball, though these pitches have been less effective. His sinker tends to stay over the middle of the zone, giving hitters more opportunities. Improving command and locating it on the edges could potentially improve its results.

With Junis added to the bullpen, the Rangers gain a reliable arm to complement Chris Martin, Alexis Díaz, Cole Winn, Robert García, Tyler Alexander, and Rule 5 draftee Carter Baulmer. The team is now likely to pursue a starting pitcher capable of providing innings, but they may also consider adding another reliever via free agency, trade, or by calling up a prospect such as Marc Church, Robby Ahlstrom, or Emiliano Teodo if they perform well in spring training.