Rangers sign righty Buck Farmer to minors contract

The Rangers announced that right-hander Buck Farmer has been signed to a minor league deal.  Farmer will report to Triple-A Round Rock.

After being released by the Tigers earlier this week, Farmer will move on to the second organization of his nine-year professional career.  Farmer was a fifth-round pick for Detroit in the 2013 draft, and he made his big league debut the very next season, beginning an eight-season run in the Tigers’ bullpen (with a few appearances as a starting pitcher).  While Farmer’s career 5.33 ERA over 320 2/3 innings isn’t impressive, it isn’t entirely indicative of a player who has been at times been a very valuable multi-inning workhorse out of the pen.

The 2021 season itself reflects Farmer’s inconsistency.  He posted a 12.66 ERA over his first 10 2/3 innings, resulting in the Tigers designating the right-hander for assignment.  Farmer cleared waivers and was called back up to the active roster in June, then posting a 3.65 ERA over his next 24 2/3 frames.

Farmer is controlled through the 2022 season, and the Rangers are responsible for only a prorated league minimum salary for Farmer in 2021 if he reaches their MLB roster. (Detroit is paying the rest of what remains of Farmer’s $1.85M salary for the 2021 campaign.)  There isn’t much risk on the Rangers’ part in taking a look at what Farmer has to offer, as the team looks ahead to putting some potential pieces together for its 2022 team.