Recently, Texas Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young joked that the franchise put together a bullpen for about “$10 million” last season.
It’s much closer to the truth than many realize. Young and his staff put together one of the best bullpens in baseball without spending on a credible closer and signing relievers on what amounted to one-year deals for the league minimum or just above it.
Now, one of those relievers is hoping to come back. Per Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports, Shawn Armstrong wants to be back in Texas in 2026.
A Rangers Return for Shawn Armstrong
By season’s end, Armstrong was the Rangers’ closer and he finished with some of the best numbers of his career. The 35-year-old right-hander went 4-3 with a 2.31 ERA in 71 games, most of which came in a set-up role. Once he emerged as the closer in the final six weeks of the season, he ended up with nine saves in 12 chances.
Armstrong was a key part of a bullpen that finished with a 3.62 ERA, the fifth-best rate in baseball. Combined with the rotation, Texas’ overall ERA was the best in the Majors at 3.47. Many of the free agents that Young and his staff brought in pitched well, especially Armstrong, Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb. Armstrong and Milner are free agents, while the Rangers non-tendered Webb last month.
Wilson went on to report that Armstrong is looking for a two-year deal, which would be more security than he had a year ago and more security than he’s had most of his career, which started in 2015 with Cleveland. The right-hander has mostly been a set-up man for his career, which has seen him pitch for Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Seattle, St. Louis, Miami and the Chicago Cubs, in addition to the Guardians and the Rangers.
In addition to securing a career-best nine saves in 2025, he has a career-best 1.3 bWAR. His 71 appearances was also a career high.
Texas has made it clear that it wants to get younger and less expensive this offseason. The Rangers have done that in part by non-tendering Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim and Josh Sborz, in addition to Webb. The moves saved an estimated $20 million. Texas also saved about $4 million per year in the Marcus Semien trade to the New York Mets for Brandon Nimmo.
But, Armstrong isn’t going to break the bank. He made $1.25 million with Texas in 2025 and the most he’s made in a single season was the $2.050 million he made with Tampa Bay in 2024. A little security at a slightly higher figure — perhaps $3 million per year — should be enough to lock down one of last year’s top relievers.
