Jakob Junis might not have been the flashiest name on the Guardians’ roster in 2025, but make no mistake - he was one of the steadiest arms in a bullpen that had to weather more than its fair share of turbulence.
With Cleveland forced to patch together its relief corps following Emmanuel Clase’s placement on paid leave, Junis quietly became a rock for rookie manager Stephen Vogt. What started as a depth role turned into something far more significant.
By season’s end, Junis had earned his way into high-leverage spots, finishing the year with a 2.97 ERA over 66 2/3 innings. That kind of reliability doesn’t always make headlines, but it wins games - and trust.
Yet as the Guardians reshaped their bullpen this offseason, they surprisingly never made much of a push to bring Junis back. Instead, the 31-year-old right-hander found a new home over the weekend, signing a one-year, $4 million deal with the Texas Rangers. That’s actually a slight pay cut from the $4.5 million he earned in Cleveland last season - a detail that raises some eyebrows considering the value he provided.
The deal also includes a mutual option for 2027, giving both Junis and the Rangers some flexibility depending on how this season unfolds.
For Texas, this is a low-risk move with upside. Junis has quietly put together two strong seasons since transitioning to a full-time bullpen role, posting a combined 2.83 ERA over 133 2/3 innings.
He’s not overpowering, but he knows how to pitch - and more importantly, how to miss bats. His slider has become his go-to weapon, thrown 44.5% of the time last year with a 31.4% whiff rate.
That’s a legitimate out pitch, and one that’s helped him reinvent himself in the second half of his career.
Still, there are reasons why teams may have been hesitant to offer more. Junis’ fastball velocity dipped by more than a mile per hour last season, and hitters slugged a hefty .625 against his four-seamer.
That’s not a number you want to see, especially for a reliever who may be called on in tight spots. The concern is that if the slider isn’t sharp or the fastball continues to lose life, the margin for error shrinks fast.
Even so, Junis figures to be a key piece in a Texas bullpen that, on paper, doesn’t exactly strike fear into opposing hitters. Tyler Alexander, Alexis Díaz, and Chris Martin are the other notable names in the mix - solid arms, but not a dominant trio. That opens the door for Junis to carve out a meaningful role, especially if he can replicate the form he showed in Cleveland.
As for the Guardians, they’ve clearly made a concerted effort to overhaul their bullpen this winter. Instead of re-signing Junis, they handed out major league deals to Shawn Armstrong, Colin Holderman, and Connor Brogdon, and added Peyton Pallette via the Rule 5 Draft.
It’s a new-look group, and on paper, it might offer more upside. But it’s also a gamble.
Junis may not have been the centerpiece of Cleveland’s bullpen last year, but he was one of its most dependable arms. If he thrives in Texas while the Guardians’ new additions struggle to find their footing, this could be a move that comes back to bite them.
For now, Junis heads to Arlington with something to prove - and based on the last two seasons, he’s more than capable of delivering.