Sborz to miss beginning of '25 season after shoulder surgery
Rangers reach one-year deal with Dunning; 3 players tendered contracts
ARLINGTON -- There was one shock for the Rangers as Friday’s 8 p.m. ET tender deadline neared, but nothing having to do with the contracts.
The Rangers announced on Friday that reliever Josh Sborz had right shoulder surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Nov. 13. It was a debridement procedure.
The club feels fairly confident that Sborz can return during the first half of the 2025 season, but he will miss at least the first two months.
The right-hander had an injury-riddled ‘24 season, throwing just 16 1/3 innings with a 3.86 ERA. He attempted multiple returns from his shoulder ailment throughout the season, all to no avail.
Sborz threw a career-high 64 innings in 2023, in addition to 12 postseason innings with a 0.75 ERA en route to a seven-out save in Game 5 of the World Series.
Sborz was arbitration eligible this winter, but he and the Rangers agreed to a one-year deal for $1.1 million plus incentives to avoid arbitration.
Additionally, the Rangers agreed to terms on a one-year with right-hander Dane Dunning to avoid arbitration. His deal is for $2.66 million plus additional incentives.
Dunning was projected to make over $4 million, according to MLB Trade Rumors. That would have been up from his $3.25 million salary in 2024. But the right-hander struggled to a 5.31 ERA in 95 innings and was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Aug. 31, the first demotion of his Texas tenure.
The Rangers tendered contracts to all three other arbitration-eligible players: first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, catcher Jonah Heim and outfielder Leody Taveras.
The next arbitration deadline is Jan. 9, when players and teams exchange salary figures.