The Rangers on Thursday announced the signing of free agent right-hander Tyler Mahle to a two-year contract that’s worth $22 million, according to multiple reports.
Mahle underwent Tommy John surgery in May, which means a mid-summer return in 2024 – his age-29 season – is likely the best-case scenario. His right elbow issues cut short a promising 2023 campaign with the Twins, as he had posted a 3.16 ERA and 28-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his first five starts.
Less than a year earlier, at the 2022 Trade Deadline, Minnesota had given up three Minor Leaguers – including Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand – to pry Mahle away from the Reds. But Mahle dealt with shoulder issues that September, and between that and this past season’s elbow trouble, wound up making a total of just nine starts for Minnesota.
It remains to be seen how smoothly Mahle’s return from Tommy John will go, but prior to his injury troubles, his career appeared to be on an upward trajectory. Picked by the Reds in the seventh round of the 2013 Draft out of Westminster (Calif.) High School, Mahle first made it to Cincinnati in 2017. After some early ups and downs, he firmly established himself in the Reds’ rotation from 2020-21, going 15-8 with a 3.72 ERA (127 ERA+) across 43 games (42 starts). His 210 strikeouts in 2021 ranked ninth in the NL.
Yet Mahle’s 180 innings in 2021 represent the only time he has thrown even 130 in a Major League season. Overall, he owns a career ERA of 4.30 and an above-average ERA+ of 105 across 635 2/3 innings with the Reds and Twins.
The 6-foot-3 Mahle has consistently ranked in the 75th percentile or better among Major League pitchers in extension and fastball spin rate, helping his heater get whiffs at the top of the zone. He consistently throws the pitch more than 50% of the time, and it averaged 92.6 mph during his brief 2023 season, down from a high of 94.0 mph in 2021. Mahle rounds out his pitch arsenal with a slider, splitter and cutter.
