MLB free agency: Rangers have ‘considered’ Greg Holland

The Rangers have “considered” the possibility of signing free-agent reliever Greg Holland, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

The Rangers have yet to formally name a closer in their bullpen, which blew 21 of 50 save opportunities last season. The Rangers currently have Alex Claudio, Tim Lincecum, Matt Bush, Keone Kela, Jake Diekman, Jose Leclerc, Tony Barnette, Chris Martin and Ricardo Rodriguez, with Claudio and Lincecum as the two frontrunners for the ninth-inning job. Claudio saved 11 games in 15 opportunities last year. Lincecum, a 2008 NL Cy Young winner with the Giants as a starter, has not pitched since 2016 and has not been a closer since his days in the Cape Cod League in 2005 and in college for the University of Washington.

If they want to have an established closer, Holland would certainly be an upgrade over what they have now.

Holland is coming off an All-Star season in 2017 with the Rockies in which he recorded 41 saves, which tied for the most in the National League with Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. The 32-year-old Holland, who also led the NL in games finished with 58 and posted a 3.61 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and 11 strikeouts per nine innings pitched in 61 appearances, re-established himself as a premiere back-end of the bullpen type pitcher after not having pitched on a major-league mound since 2015 when he was with the Royals.

Because of his performance, Holland would ideally want to get paid more than the $6 million he made last year and have a longer deal. However, the Rangers are unlikely looking to commit a ton of money and years to a closer.