The Texas Rangers and veteran right-hander Chris Martin are in agreement on a one-year deal. News of the development was first reported Tuesday by Jeff Passan of ESPN. The salary for Martin has not yet been publicly reported. The Rangers have a couple of vacancies on the 40-man roster, meaning they won’t need to make a corresponding move.
Not So Fast
In September of 2024, Chris Martin said he was 95% sure that 2025 would be his final season. He turned 39 in June and made a few trips to the injured list during the season. The first IL stint was in May due to shoulder fatigue, followed by another in July due to a calf strain. Most ominously, he was shelved in late September due to a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Given the evidence, it was fair to assume he would be hanging up his cleats. But a few days ago, it was reported that he was planning to pitch in 2026. His current health status isn’t known but presumably the Rangers feel good about what he can contribute in 2026.
Limited Resources
The Rangers have been given some budgetary constraints over the past few years. Last winter, they put together their bullpen primarily via a series of small one-year contracts. In addition to Martin, they also signed Hoby Milner, Luke Jackson, Jacob Webb and Shawn Armstrong. That actually ended up working quite well, as the Rangers’ bullpen was decent in 2025. But since they limited themselves to one-year deals, almost the entire bullpen hit free agency at season’s end.
They recently signed lefty Tyler Alexander to a modest one-year deal. They also reportedly have an agreement with Alexis Díaz. The Financial numbers on that deal haven’t been reported yet but it’s surely on the low side as well. Martin made $5.5 million in 2025. Given his age and the injuries he dealt with in 2025, he shouldn’t be in line for much of a raise, or any at all.
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