The Texas Rangers made a notable roster move ahead of Monday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants, designating veteran reliever Chris Martin for assignment after reinstating him from the 15-day injured list.
Martin had been sidelined since mid-July with right shoulder impingement. Rather than returning him to the bullpen, Texas cleared his spot on the 40-man roster as clubs finalized moves before the MLB trade deadline.
The 40-year-old struggled throughout an injury-plagued season, posting a 1-1 record with a 9.00 ERA across 16 appearances. He allowed 25 hits and four home runs over 14 innings while recording nine strikeouts against two walks.
Martin also made six rehab appearances with Triple-A Round Rock before returning from the injured list. His final outing came Saturday, when he faced one batter before the Rangers decided to move in a different direction.
The Rangers entered Monday at 55-57, 2.5 games behind the division-leading Houston Astros in the American League West. With the postseason race still within reach, the front office opted to prioritize roster flexibility ahead of the trade deadline.
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Martin signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Texas before the season but never regained the form that made him one of baseball's most dependable setup relievers in recent years. Multiple stints on the injured list limited both his availability and effectiveness.
The Rangers will now either trade Martin before the deadline, place him on outright waivers or release him if he clears. The move opens another bullpen spot as Texas begins a key series against San Francisco.
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