Rangers Just Signed a Struggling Veteran Pitcher. Here’s Why It Might Actually Work.

The Texas Rangers have been running on fumes in the rotation for weeks now. Jack Leiter’s ankle is still an issue. Jordan Montgomery’s elbow is a question mark. Cody Bradford’s elbow is another one. So on Monday, the front office did what front offices do when they’re desperate for arms — they signed a guy who has been cut by two teams this season.

That guy is Chris Paddack. The 30-year-old righty is reportedly close to a major league deal with Texas, pending a physical, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. The Rangers have an open 40-man spot, but they’ll need to clear room on the active roster to get him into uniform.

A season that started badly and somehow got worse

Paddack began 2026 with the Marlins. That went poorly. Seven appearances, six starts, a 7.63 ERA, 27 strikeouts, and an 0-5 record. Then he moved to the Reds. That also went poorly. Six appearances, three starts, a 6.04 ERA, 12 strikeouts, and an 0-2 record. Cincinnati was ready to send him down. Paddack said no thanks and went to free agency instead.

Now he lands in Arlington, where the bar is basically on the floor. The Rangers need someone who can eat innings and keep games close enough for the offense to do something. Paddack hasn’t done that in 2026, but he has done it before. He’s not a reclamation project without a track record. In 2024 with Miami he had a 4.23 ERA over 97 innings. The stuff still plays when he’s healthy and confident. Those are two big ifs right now.

What Texas is gambling on here

The Rangers aren’t expecting a Cy Young charge. They need a warm body who can throw strikes and not get crushed every fifth day. Texas is 42-42, tied for the lead in a very winnable AL West. The division is there for the taking if they can get some pitching stability. Paddack is a low-cost roll of the dice. If it clicks, great. If it doesn’t, they move on.

This is the same front office that has built contenders before with moves nobody saw coming. Whether Paddack turns into anything useful is anyone’s guess. What matters right now is that the Rangers made a move instead of just waiting for the MRI results to improve. That counts for something in a division where nobody wants to win it.