Pitching depth is a priority for the Rangers this offseason, and it appears the club is on the verge of adding a hard-throwing right-hander to their rotation. The team is nearing a deal with free agent Andrew Cashner, according to multiple reports.
Sources: #Rangers close to signing free-agent RHP Andrew Cashner.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 18, 2016
Looks like it's done at one-year and $10 million for Cashner...Long been on the Rangers radar screen
— TR Sullivan (@Sullivan_Ranger) November 18, 2016
Cashner, a native Texan, split the 2016 season between the Padres and Marlins. He went 5-11 with a 5.25 ERA (77 ERA+) in 132 total innings. Neck, hamstring, and blister problems caused him to miss a bunch of time throughout the season.
Assuming the one-year deal is completed, the 30-year-old Cashner will slot into the Rangers' rotation somewhere behind Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. The rotation depth chart on the team's official site doesn't look too promising at the moment:
See what I mean? Others like Yohander Mendez, Tanner Scheppers, and Nick Martinez could factor into the rotation at some point. Right now though, Texas needs a lot of pitching help, even after this Cashner deal.
The free agent pitching class this offseason is very thin. Cashner ranked sixth on our list of the top 20 free agent starters.
