The Rangers have signed infielder Donovan Solano and right-hander Cal Quantrill to minor league contracts, the team informed reporters (including Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News). Both players had recently been released — Solano by the Mariners, Quantrill by the Braves.
Solano follows in the footsteps of former M’s teammate Dylan Moore. He signed with Texas days after being released by Seattle in late August. Marcus Semien had just landed on the injured list, and Texas lost Corey Seager to an appendectomy a couple days later. Moore was quickly called up and is usually in the lineup when the Rangers face a left-handed starting pitcher. Texas also has Rowdy Tellez operating as a bench bat after signing him following a release from Seattle in June.
The 37-year-old Solano provides veteran depth in that injury-riddled infield. Cody Freeman and Josh Smith are the primary middle infield duo. First baseman Jake Burger has been injured three times this year. Moore and Ezequiel Duran are ahead of Solano as right-handed bench bats. Solano might be the first one up if another player goes down before Seager returns, as Texas hasn’t wanted to give Justin Foscue (their only position player on optional assignment) much playing time.
Solano signed a $3.5MM free agent contract with Seattle over the winter. His .252/.295/.344 slash across 69 games was below his typical level. Solano had been an average or better hitter each season from 2019-24. Seattle didn’t start him anywhere other than first base, but he has plenty of experience at second and third base as well.
Quantrill is on his third team of the year. The veteran starter signed with the Marlins for $3.5MM over the offseason. Quantrill struggled to a 5.50 earned run average over 24 starts with the Fish. Miami didn’t find a taker at the trade deadline and placed the former eighth overall pick on waivers last month. The Braves placed a claim that got them off the hook for the rest of the salary.
It proved an ill-advised move for Atlanta. They only gave Quantrill two starts, over which he was blasted for 12 runs in eight innings. The Braves released him last week. Quantrill now has an ERA a little north of 6.00 across 117 2/3 frames. His 16.6% strikeout rate is well below average. Quantrill throws a lot of strikes but has become increasingly susceptible to the home run over the past couple seasons. He’s now three years removed from a career season in Cleveland, when he took the ball 32 times and posted a 3.38 ERA through 186 1/3 innings.
More to come.