The Texas Rangers gave Chris Paddack a start on Monday and then cut him loose on Tuesday. That is quick even by baseball’s revolving-door standards.
Paddack got the ball against the Cleveland Guardians and threw four innings in a 6-3 win. He gave up seven hits and two earned runs with one strikeout. Not great but not disastrous either. But the Rangers decided that was enough to go in a different direction. They designated him for assignment Tuesday.
For Paddack, that start meant something. He grew up in Texas and said wearing the Rangers uniform was different.
“It’s another opportunity for me. For me, this one meant a little more having ‘Texas’ across my chest,” Paddack told MLB.com after the game.
Another chapter in a weird season
Paddack has been all over the place this year. He started with the Miami Marlins and posted a 7.63 ERA in seven starts before getting DFA’d. Then he signed a major league deal with the Cincinnati Reds and made two starts before they moved him to the bullpen. Then they DFA’d him too. Texas picked him up and gave him one game. Now he’s back in DFA limbo.
Paddack talked about the constant travel and the quick decisions that come with being a journeyman pitcher.
“That’s what we sign up for. It’s one of those things that no one really knows that happens behind the scenes. You get a phone call, and you’re on a flight and have to pack quickly and make sure the body and mind are ready to go,” he said after Monday’s win.
The Rangers are looking for answers
Texas is trying to make noise in the AL West and the front office has been aggressive with moves. But this one is hard to figure from the outside. Why sign a guy, give him one start, then immediately cut him? Either the Rangers saw enough to know he wasn’t the answer or they had another roster move lined up that needed the 40-man spot. The team hasn’t said much beyond the transaction itself.
Paddack has shown flashes in the past. He had a 3.33 ERA as a rookie in 2019 with San Diego and looked like a long-term piece. But injuries and inconsistency have derailed things since then. Now he’s 29 and running out of chances to prove he can stick in a big league rotation.
What happens next is anyone’s guess. He could be claimed by another team. He could clear waivers and end up in Triple-A. Or he could be looking for his fourth organization of the year. For a guy who grew up wanting to pitch for Texas, it was a short homecoming.
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