Spencer Patton’s successful return to the majors in 2021 flew somewhat under the radar, but the 34-year-old righty emerged as a key reliever for the Rangers, pitching to a 3.83 ERA with a 27.9% strikeout rate, an 8.7% walk rate and a 41.3% ground-ball rate in 42 1/3 innings of work. That came on the heels of a strong four-year run with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan and marked Patton’s first big league action since a 2016 run with the Cubs. Prior to this past season, Patton carried a 6.26 ERA in 54 2/3 big league frames.
He’s not yet arbitration-eligible, but the contract Patton signed upon returning from Japan calls for him to earn a $1.5M salary in the majors this year, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. It’s a split contract, so he’d earn at a different rate in the minors in the event Texas options him out. (Patton does have one minor league option remaining.)
The Rangers may yet add to the bullpen after the lockout lifts, but Patton is likely solidified on the Rangers’ Opening Day roster, barring injury or something unforeseen in whatever iteration of spring training is pieced together. Patton, Joe Barlow, Brett Martin and Josh Sborz all look like they have the inside track on Opening Day bullpen jobs, and the Rangers will hope to get hard-throwing righties Jose Leclerc and Jonathan Hernandez back from Tommy John surgery before too long, as well.
Full article can be found at: https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/spencer_patton_jonathan_hernandez_look_to_solidify_rangers_bullpen/s1_13237_37270377