Texas Rangers taking chance on Jen-Ho Tseng
By David Hill
The Texas Rangers are looking for long term solutions to their pitching woes. Jen-Ho Tseng could be one of those pieces.
During the offseason, the Texas Rangers have taken a relatively cautious approach to free agency. A plethora of new pitchers have entered the rotation, but only Mike Minor and Lance Lynn have been on more than a one year deal. The Rangers are looking for long term pieces, but have been pinning their hopes on flipping those arms at the deadline for prospects.
On Wednesday, the Rangers may have found one of those pieces on the waiver wire. They signed Jen-Ho Tseng to a minor league deal, sending him to extended Spring Training to begin a throwing program.
Rangers have signed free agent RHP Jen-Ho Tseng to a minor league contract. He was designated for assignment by the Cubs on April 6 and released on April 11. Pitched in 3 games for Chicago in 2017-18. He will go to extended spring in Arizona to begin throwing program.
— John Blake (@RangerBlake) April 17, 2019
Tseng had once been a high profile prospect in the Cubs system. He was signed as a high schooler from Tawain in 2013, earning a $1.625 million signing bonus. One of their top pitching prospects, he rose rapidly through the system, reaching the majors at the end of the 2017 campaign.
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He did not find success at the major league level. In his three outings for Chicago, Tseng was hammered for eight runs on nine hits and two walks in his eight innings of work. Three of those nine hits were home runs, as he struggled to keep the ball in the yard.
Back in AAA for the majority of the 2018 campaign, Tseng was even worse. He posted a 2-15 record, along with a disastrous 6.27 ERA and a 1.489 WHiP. His command was still decent, as he issued only 44 walks while striking out 115 batters in 136.1 innings, but he allowed 159 hits, including 20 homers. The promise of past years had faded.
It may simply be that Tseng needs a change of scenery to live up to his former promise. If he can revert back to form, the Rangers also have a much clearer path to the majors in front of him. And, for all of those struggles at the major league level, there were positives in the form of his 11 strikeouts in those eight innings.
dark. Next. Rangers Mount Rushmore
The Texas Rangers are taking a chance on Jen-Ho Tseng. Given the status of their pitching staff, it is a worthwhile gamble.