The Rangers added a fresh arm to the big league roster and bolstered their organizational depth in one move-heavy day.
Texas selected the contract of right-hander Ben Peoples and optioned fellow righty Winston Santos to Triple-A Round Rock to clear an active roster spot. Because the 40-man roster already had a couple of open spots, Peoples could be added without a corresponding move. The club also signed infielder Santiago Espinal and right-hander Austin Voth to minor league deals, according to Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News.
Peoples, 25, just arrived in the organization earlier this week in a trade with the White Sox. He was originally a 22nd-round pick by the Rays in 2019, then went from Tampa to Chicago in last year’s deadline deal that sent Adrian Houser the other way. Texas is wasting little time getting a look at him in the majors.
The right-hander started out as a starter, but control issues pushed him into relief a couple of years ago. The command hasn’t really cleaned itself up, though he has found a way to miss bats.
In 37 2/3 Triple-A innings this season, Peoples has posted a 2.39 ERA, walked 14% of the hitters he’s faced and struck out 30%. His fastball is sitting just under 96 miles per hour, and he also works with a slider and changeup.
Chicago apparently wasn’t planning to promote him soon, and he was headed toward minor league free agency at the end of the season. Instead, the White Sox sent him to Texas for High-A catcher Ben Hartl. Now the Rangers will see whether his stuff translates right away against big league hitters.
Espinal gives Texas another layer of infield insurance. The 31-year-old had some productive years with Toronto, but for the most part he has been a glove-first utility piece for several seasons.
Since the start of 2023, he has made 1,033 plate appearances and hit .247/.296/.328, good for a 71 wRC+. This year, he logged 60 plate appearances with the Dodgers and hit .268/.276/.375 before electing free agency a few weeks ago after being cut loose.
Even with the light bat, Espinal still brings value. He has generally handled left-handed pitching better, which gives teams a way to use him more selectively. He’s also dependable at shortstop, second base and third base, and can fill in at first base or in a corner outfield spot if needed.
That kind of depth matters for a Rangers team that has been juggling injuries in the middle of the diamond. Corey Seager has been in and out of the injured list this season, and his back issue sent him back to the IL yesterday.
Texas also lost bench infielder Cody Freeman to the injured list in June because of a herniated disc in his back. McFarland reported today that Freeman had surgery and could return within a month.
Right now, the Rangers’ infield mix includes Nicky Lopez at shortstop, Ezequiel Durán at second and Josh Jung at third. Justin Foscue gets some time at second, though usually against lefties, while Josh Smith and Cam Cauley are also part of the picture. Espinal will head to Triple-A for now, but he gives Texas a veteran fallback if another injury pops up.
Voth is another possible depth answer. The 34-year-old has spent this season bouncing around as an emergency bulk option, joining a club’s roster three separate times for a single appearance before being removed again. Two of those came with the Blue Jays and one with the Twins, and he allowed 11 earned runs in 10 innings across those outings.
That ugly stretch leaves him with a 9.90 ERA on the year at the big league level, but the broader body of work looks more stable. In 370 1/3 major league innings, Voth has a 4.84 ERA with a 21.5% strikeout rate and an 8.4% walk rate. His Triple-A numbers this season are also more respectable: a 3.65 ERA, 20.6% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate in 44 1/3 innings.
Texas recently lost Jack Leiter to the injured list and responded by moving Cal Quantrill into the rotation with Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, MacKenzie Gore and Kumar Rocker. The Rangers also signed Chris Paddack to cover one outing and provide some relief, but he was designated for assignment immediately afterward and is now a free agent.
The club still does not have much proven starting depth behind that group. Jordan Montgomery and Cody Bradford are on the injured list, while Santos, David Davalillo and José Corniell are all on the 40-man roster but have minor league ERAs above 5.57 this season.
Marco Gonzales is in the system on a minor league deal, though he has a 7.89 ERA in Triple-A. If Texas needs another spot start soon, Voth gives them another name to consider.
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