Rangers select contract of RHP Matt Festa from Round Rock, recall LHP Walter Pennington

By | 11:55 AM EDT

New York — The Texas Rangers announced the following roster moves prior to Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees in New York:

Festa, 31, will be seeking his Rangers debut. Overall at the Triple-A level this season in the San Diego (El Paso), New York-NL (Syracuse), and Texas (Round Rock) organizations, Festa has combined to go 2-1 with 2 saves, a 2.70 ERA (12 ER/40.0 IP), and 48 strikeouts/13 walks over 33 relief appearances. He has a 1.04 ERA (1 ER/8.2 IP) and 1.038 WHIP figure spanning two stints with Round Rock in 2024.

Festa began the year in the San Diego system on a minors deal before his release on May 16. He signed a minor league contract with New York-NL on May 18. During his one stint in the Majors this season with the Mets from June 30-July 2, he made a single appearance on June 30 vs. Houston (L, 1.0 IP, 4 H, 5 R-4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO). He was designated for assignment by the Mets on July 3, assigned outright to Triple-A Syracuse and elected free agency on July 5, and initially signed a minor league contract with the Rangers on July 8. He was granted his release on August 1 and re-signed a minor league contract with Texas on August 5.

Festa has gone 2-3 with 2 saves and a 4.66 ERA over 90 relief appearances in his Major League career with Seattle (2018-19, 2022-23) and New York-NL (2024). Born in Brooklyn, he graduated from St. Joseph by the Sea High School in Staten Island and also pitched at Dominican University New York before being selected by the Mariners in the 7th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Pennington, 26, will be in his second stint with Texas (also August 2-5). He made his Rangers debut last Sunday vs. Boston (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R-ER, 3 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR, 33 pitches/17 strikes), surrendering a three-run home run to Wilyer Abreu in the 6th inning. His only previous MLB outing had been with the Royals on July 5 at Colorado (0.2 IP, 0 R). He had one appearance with Round Rock after being optioned on Tuesday, pitching in relief with the Express on Thursday at Oklahoma City: 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 28 pitches/24 strikes.

Pennington was acquired by the Rangers from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-handed pitcher Michael Lorenzen on July 29. The southpaw has spent the balance of the campaign pitching at the Triple-A level of the Kansas City (Omaha) and Texas (Round Rock) farm systems, combining to go 7-3, 2.13 ERA (15 ER/63.1 IP) with 82 strikeouts over 39 appearances/2 starts. Pennington, a Broomfield, Col. native, was originally signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on August, 24, 2020 following a four-year collegiate playing career at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Col.

Sborz has a 2-1 record with a 3.38 ERA (6 ER/16.0 IP) over 16 relief appearances with Texas in 2024. This will be his third Injured List stint of the season, also a pair of stints for right rotator cuff strain both April 7-24 and May 9-July 4.

Burke had a 9.22 ERA (14 ER/13.2 IP) over 13 relief appearances for the Rangers this season. The Rangers have seven days to release or outright Burke to the minor leagues.

Following today’s transactions, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the club’s Major League roster, along with four players on the 60-day Injured List: Evan Carter, Carson Coleman, Jacob deGrom, Cole Winn.

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