The Texas Rangers have claimed pitcher Roansy Contreras on waivers
The Texas Rangers have claimed righthanded pitcher Roansy Contreras on waivers, the team announced today.
Contreras, who turns 25 a week from today, was a big time prospect a few years ago. Sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates by the New York Yankees in January, 2021, as part of the Jameson Taillon trade, Contreras had a strong 2021 season in the Pirates’ system, though he missed a couple of months due to a forearm strain. Contreras pitched in AA, AAA, the majors and the Arizona Fall League in 2021, and was a consensus top 100 prospect heading into the 2022 season.
Contreras appeared in 30 games — 27 starts and three relief appearances — between AAA and the majors in 2022, putting up a 3.79 ERA and 107 ERA+ in his 95 big league innings. He struggled in 2023, however, with a 6.59 ERA in 68 innings in the majors while splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen. After an underwhelming start to the 2024 season in the Pirates’ bullpen, the Angels purchased him in May of 2024 from Pittsburgh. The Angels apparently waived him, and he’s now a Texas Ranger.
Contreras is out of options, so he will either have to be on the major league roster in 2025 or be exposed to waivers. And of course, it isn’t out of the question that the Rangers look to run him through waivers later on in the offseason to clear a 40 man roster spot.