February 10: The Rangers officially announced the minor league deal and invitation to spring training for Brasier this morning.
February 6, 11:46am: It will be a minor league deal with an optional spring training invitation once the deal is finalized, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
10:47am: Rangers finalize deal with right-hander Ryan BrasierChris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. It can be homesick for the ALIGND Sports client, who was born in Wichita Falls, Texas and attended college in Weatherford, about 40 miles west of Arlington.
Brasier spent the 2025 season with the Cubs but was limited to just 26 innings due to two groin injuries – sidelining him for nearly two months. He logged a healthy 4.50 earned run average and struck out 19% of his opponents while recording a 4.8% walk rate. A .321 average in balls in play — 30 points above average and 40 north of Brasier’s career mark — at least raised his ERA. Metrics like SIERA (3.74) and FIP (3.17) were more bullish.
Injuries have plagued the 38-year-old righty over the past two seasons. In 2024, Brasier threw 28 innings with the Dodgers, missing an extended period due to a strained calf. He was efficient that season as well, posting a 3.54 ERA with a 22.7% strikeout rate and another best walk rate (4.5%).
Overall, Brasier’s last three seasons have been solid — at least when he’s been healthy enough to take the mound. He put a nightmare 2022 season (5.78 ERA in 62 1/3 innings) in the rearview mirror, rebounding with a combined 3.48 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate, two saves and 20 holds in 113 2/3 total frames. That said, it’s worth noting that last year’s 94 mph seam speed is down significantly from the 95.7 mph he averaged as recently as 2023. Perhaps fittingly, his 9.7% swinging-strike rate was a career low — and the first time in his career that he posted an average decidedly south of the league.
Whether a healthy Brasier will be able to regain lost speed and hitting in his age-38 season remains to be seen, but the right-hander still has excellent command. He keeps the ball down at a nearly consistent rate and has been able to avoid home runs over the past three seasons (0.63 HR/9).
If he makes the roster, Brasier would be the latest low-cost addition to a Rangers bullpen that has given veterans one-year deals. Chris Martin, Alexis Diaz, Tyler Alexander again Jacob Junis this season. It’s the second year in a row that the Texas brass have stacked their support staff primarily with low-cost agent deals. It worked very well in 2025, as the Rangers got solid results from Martin, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb again Shawn Armstrong.
Finding success in those multiple one-year signings for pitchers — MLB’s most versatile players — isn’t a sustainable way to assemble a bullpen, but the shrinking number of salaries in recent seasons has forced baseball president Chris Young to take this kind of minimalist approach. Ideally, the Rangers could see some of their young arms step up to fill some of the spots, as well Cole Winn done in 2025. Winn will be one of the main options to set up next Robert Garciawhich was acquired by Texas in shipping trade Nathaniel Lowe to Washington last winter.
