Rangers sign free agent RHP Shawn Armstrong to one-year Major League contract
Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has signed right-handed pitcher Shawn Armstrong to a one-year Major League contract for the 2025 season. To make room for Armstrong on the club’s Major League roster, catcher Sam Huff has been designated for assignment.
Armstrong, 34, went 3-3 with one save and pitched to a 4.86 ERA (36 ER/66.2 IP) over a career-high 57 appearances for Tampa Bay, St. Louis, and Chicago-NL in 2024, including a 2.25 ERA (3 ER/12.0 IP) in 7 starts as an ‘opener’. From August 12 through the end of last season, he recorded a 2.57 ERA (4 ER/14.0 IP) as he was scoreless in 12 of his final 15 outings of 2024.
The right-hander logged a career-high-tying 66 strikeouts last season and sports a 9.57 strikeouts per 9.0 figure dating back to 2021. Armstrong has seen postseason action in 2 of the last 3 seasons (2022-23), combining to post 2.1 scoreless innings, including a 1.0-inning outing in Game 2 of the 2023 A.L. Wild Card Series vs. Texas at Tropicana Field while pitching for the Rays. As an ‘opener’ his 1.14 ERA (4 ER/31.2 IP) in 16 career starts leads all MLB starting pitchers since 2022 (min. 15 starts).
The New Bern, N.C. native owns a career 11-8 mark with 8 saves and 4.15 ERA (160 ER/347.1 IP) spanning 299 career games/16 starts with Cleveland (2015-17), Seattle (2018-19), Baltimore (2019-21), Tampa Bay (2021-24), Miami (2022), St. Louis (2024), and Chicago-NL (2024). He was originally selected by Cleveland in the 18th round of the 2011 MLB Draft from East Carolina University.
Huff, 26, batted .258 (51-198) with 10 home runs and 20 RBI in 78 games across parts of four seasons with Texas (2020, 2022-24). The catcher has spent his first nine years as a professional in the Rangers organization after being selected by the club in the 7th round of the 2016 MLB Draft from Arcadia H.S. (Ariz.). Texas has seven days to trade, release, or outright Huff to the minor leagues.
With today’s transactions, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the club’s Major League roster.
RHP Patrick Murphy signed to minors deal: The Rangers have also signed right-handed relief pitcher Patrick Murphy to a minor league contract with an invitation to 2025 Major League Spring Training camp.
Murphy, 29, spent the 2024 season in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League, registering a 3.26 ERA (14 ER/38.2 IP) with 30 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP in 40 appearances for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, while also pitching in 5 games for the club’s top minor league affiliate. The 6-foot-5 right-hander has logged 35 career MLB games (all relief) with Toronto (2020-21) and Washington (2021-22), going 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA (21 ER/39.2 IP) and 38 strikeouts. Originally a 3rd round selection of the Blue Jays in the 2013 MLB Draft out of Hamilton H.S. (Ariz.), Murphy last pitched stateside in 2023 with Triple-A St. Paul (MIN).