Free agent right-hander Jason Hammel pitched in the AL West for all of three months in 2014, but he could be on the verge of making his grand return.
According to a report by Jon Morosi of MLB Network on Friday, the Texas Rangers are among the teams considering Hammel.
#Rangers among teams considering Jason Hammel, who is now represented by @Baseball_ACES. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 6, 2017
The 34-year-old Hammel went 15-10 with a 3.83 ERA and 144 strikeouts in 2016, winning the World Series with the Chicago Cubs despite being left off the postseason roster entirely.
The market for Hammel this offseason has been a lot more frigid than he might have hoped, perhaps due to the elbow issues that plagued him at the end of the season. But Rangers are in need of right-handed pitching and have already shown a willingness to take a gamble on a risky veteran arm. Hammel won’t wow you, especially at this stage of his career. But mid-rotation depth at the price it looks like Hammel may have to settle for has gotta be attractive.
