All three of the Rangers’ mutual options will be bought out, reports Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers first reported this afternoon that designated hitter Joc Pederson passed on his end of an $18.5MM option. Catcher Kyle Higashioka will receive a $1MM buyout in lieu of a $7MM salary; reliever Jakob Junis is paid a $1.25MM buyout on a $5MM option.
McFarland’s report doesn’t specify which side formally declined the Higashioka/Junis options, yet it’s safe to assume the team passed on both. Neither player was much of a factor down the stretch, and Texas is clearly working against payroll limitations.
Higashioka wraps up a two-year, $13.5MM free agent deal. He combined for a .233/.296/.391 slash line with 18 homers across 513 plate appearances. That’s perfectly serviceable for a part-time catcher. Higashioka has a solid reputation as a receiver but has been below average at throwing out baserunners. He didn’t play after July 20 due to a flexor strain in his forearm.
It’ll almost certainly be a one-year deal this time around, as Higashioka hits the market in advance of his age-37 season. The Phillies, Yankees, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Brewers, Marlins, Reds, Red Sox, Twins and Tigers could all be in the market for a backup catcher. Texas will also need to address the position. Elias Díaz is a free agent, leaving Danny Jansen and Logan O’Hoppe as an underwhelming catching tandem.
Junis could look for a sixth different team in the past five seasons. The 34-year-old righty has bounced around the league on a series of one-year contracts. Junis typically puts up solid results behind plus control and a heavy diet of sweepers. He sits in the low-90s with below-average strikeout stuff but has managed four consecutive seasons with a sub-4.00 earned run average.
That includes 54 1/3 innings of 3.64 ERA ball for Texas this year. Junis led the club with 18 holds and even recorded six saves, briefly holding the ninth inning before Jacob Latz seized the job with an All-Star season. It was a nice overall return on investment for a $4MM free agent pickup. The production was heavily frontloaded, however. Junis took a 2.80 ERA across 35 1/3 frames into the All-Star Break. He battled left hip and adductor issues in July and August and wasn’t effective upon returning, giving up 11 runs with more walks than strikeouts in 19 second-half innings.
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