Despite an up-and-down MLB career, the Texas Rangers gave Jordan Lyles a decent payday.
The 2020 MLB season hasn’t gone quite as planned for the Texas Rangers, beginning with an injury to their prized offseason acquisition in RHP Corey Kluber. With a shoulder injury suffered on Opening Day keeping Kluber out for at least a few weeks, the Rangers have relied on quality starts from Lance Lynn and Kolby Allard to pick up the slack.
With holes in the rotation allowing for more opportunities for other arms on the roster, offseason free-agent signing Jordan Lyles has yet to capitalize.
Signed to a two-year deal worth $16 million, Lyles is 1-1 with a 5.56 ERA through three outings with the Rangers. He has walked just as many batters (8) as he has struck out and allowed seven earned runs on nine hits through 11.1 innings.
Lyles had moments where he shined during his time in San Diego from 2017-2018, but he was eventually designated for assignment in August of 2018 and claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers.
He was solid out of the pen in Milwaukee to close out 2018, signed with Pittsburgh in the offseason where he struggled to a 5.36 ERA through 17 starts but did shine again with Milwaukee after being traded last season (7-1, 2.45 ERA).
However, Lyles has yet to show the consistency and reliability at the major league level to make a $16 million contract seem like a worthwhile investment. As the rest of the AL West struggles to find wins, the Rangers can very easily work their way into the 2020 MLB playoffs, but they will need production from players like Jordan Lyles if they want to have any success.