Rangers Acquire RHP Daniel Duarte from Reds

By Nate Miller

January 16, 2024

The Texas Rangers added to their pitching staff by acquiring righty Daniel Duarte in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds. The deal was announced on Tuesday afternoon. The Reds, who designated Duarte for assignment over the weekend, will receive cash considerations in return. The Rangers, meanwhile, now have a complete 40-man roster as a result of adding Duarte.

Cup of Coffee with Reds

Daniel Duarte made his major league debut with the Reds in 2022. He got a more sizable chunk of major league time last year, tossing 31 2/3 frames. In those two seasons combined, he posted a 4.19 ERA, though with less-impressive peripherals. His 46.5% ground ball rate is strong. However, his 16.7% strikeout rate and 15.3% walk rate are both a few ticks worse than league average. Duarte’s .221 batting average on balls in play and 79.8% strand rate are both on the lucky side of par. That seems to have helped him keep runs from scoring, which is why his 6.16 FIP and 5.68 SIERA are less shiny than his ERA.

Daniel Duarte has generally done a decent job punching out Triple-A hitters. However, he has also walked them at a high clip. In 46 2/3 innings at Triple-A Louisville over the past three seasons, he has struck out 26.8% of hitters. He has induced a decent amount of ground balls but has also sent 11.6% of opponents to first by issuing free passes, as well as hitting 3.5% of the batters that he’s faced.

What He Brings to Arlington

Despite the control issues, the Rangers are likely enticed by Duarte’s combination of strikeouts and ground balls. He has an option remaining and won’t need to be guaranteed a spot on the active roster. Despite winning the World Series last year, the bullpen was a glaring weakness for the Rangers. Since hoisting the trophy, they have lost Aroldis Chapman, Will Smith, and Chris Stratton to free agency.

They signed Kirby Yates as their most significant upgrade to date and may not be able to top that. The payroll may not have a ton of space due to uncertainty around the broadcast revenues. The club has given minor-league deals to pitchers like Shane Greene, Diego Castillo, Austin Pruitt, Jonathan Holder, and Jesús Tinoco.