Texas Rangers sign Another 2-time All-Star pitcher From Red Sox As They Plan To Lead The World Series
The Texas Rangers are taking a flyer on a former 2-time All-Star pitcher.
The Rangers on Tuesday signed Johnny Cueto to a minor-league contract.
Cueto was apparently drawn to the Rangers because he views the defending World Series champions as a contender, and because of his relationship with the team’s manager, Bruce Bochy.
Cueto spent 2016-2021 with the Giants. Bochy managed San Francisco for the first four of those seasons.
Cueto won 19 games in 2012, 20 games in 2014 and 18 in 2016. His most recent productive season came with the White Sox in 2022 when he went 8-10 with a 3.35 ERA. The 38-year-old went 1-4 with a 6.02 ERA over 13 games with the Marlins last season.
The Rangers entered play on Tuesday 12-11, which was good enough to place them first in the AL West.
Ty France and the Seattle Mariners never left Texas with a win last season. In their first trip to the Rangers’ ballpark this year, they took the series and first place in the AL West from the reigning World Series champions
France and Urías hit two-run homers and Luis Castillo pitched six solid innings in a 4-3 win Thursday to take two of three in a stadium where the Mariners had lost eight games in a row, including all six last season.
“It’s nice to get off to a good start here. Historically, last year, it was a tough go for us. But get a couple wins under our belt here, it’s a nice way to start the year,” France said. “We don’t have to prove anything, we’re a good baseball team.”
Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Smith hit solo homers for Texas (13-13), which had been first in the division all season until the Mariners (13-12) took the series opener. The Rangers went back on top by a half-game with a 5-1 win Wednesday.
“We’re playing better baseball, and and really relying on everybody,” said Mariners manager Scott Servais, whose team has won three series in a row. “Need everybody to chip in until we get this offense really clicking.”
Julio Rodríguez, batting first after shortstop J.P. Crawford went on the injured list with a right oblique strain, led off the game with a single and scored when France went the opposite way for his first homer this season.
Andrew Heaney (0-3) retired the next 10 batters after France that until Dylan Moore, at shortstop in place of Crawford, led off the fifth with a double. Urías then went deep to break a 2-2 tie.
