Jon Heyman reports that the Rangers and Dane Dunning have agreed on a one year deal
The Texas Rangers and pitcher Dane Dunning have agreed on a one year, $2.66 million deal with incentives, per Jon Heyman.
This deal provides for a 20% cut from Dunning’s base salary in 2024, the maximum allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement for an arbitration-eligible player, and is significantly less than the $4.4 million projection from MLB Trade Rumors. I am curious as to what the incentives provide for, and how much Dunning could end up making if he hits them, because it seems like he would be able to do better than $2.66 million guaranteed on the open market, if he is healthy.
The health issue is an open question, as Dunning had a couple of stints on the injured list in 2024 due to shoulder soreness. Dunning, the team’s pitcher of the year in 2023, had a bad year in 2024, putting up a 5.31 ERA in 95 innings that encompassed 15 starts and 11 relief appearances.
Assuming Dunning is healthy in 2025, he gives the Rangers flexibility, as he has pitched both in the rotation and in relief the past two seasons, and also has an option remaining. I imagine the Rangers’ Plan A would have Dunning in the bullpen to start the 2025 season, but his ability to step into the rotation if need be provides them with helpful depth, and could make them more inclined to earmark a spot in the 2025 rotation for Kumar Rocker or Jack Leiter.