Last year, the Rangers signed the other Will Smith. Not the Will Smith cather, the Will Smith relief pitcher. And he seemed to be dancing on the ledge every appearance. Still, he saved twenty-two games and was valuable until he ran out of steam at the end of the season.

This year the Rangers signed the other Diego Castillo. Not the Diego Castillo infielder with the Orioles, the Diego Castillo relief pitcher.

The Rangers bullpen was awful last year. So they stockpiled arms, signing Kirby Yates, David Robertson, and Castillo. That’s a lot of former closers, and a lot of guys with saves.

Yates had forty-one saves in 2019. Robertson had eighteen last year and 175 in his career. And Castillo had sixteen in 2021. He had been a solid middle reliever and occasional closer since coming up with Tampa Bay in 2018 and being traded to Seattle in 2021. His 2020 season was phenomenal, putting up a 1.66 ERA. 

But last year, he struggled. He got off to a rough start with the Mariners, a 6.23 ERA after just eight appearances. They cut him in May. He went to the minor leagues, and struggled at Triple-A, becoming a free agent at the end of the year.

Chris Young snagged him for the Rangers maligned bullpen, hoping he can rekindle the success he had earlier as a dependable set-up man or middle reliever. 

Almost anyone would be better than what the Rangers had last year.

*****

TODAY’S GAME:

Texas vs Oakland, 2:05