The Texas Rangers signed free agent pitcher Austin Gomber to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to Aram Leighton of Just Baseball.
Gomber, 32, finished the 2025 season in the Chicago Cubs organization. The left-hander went 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in four games (three starts) with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs after being released by the Rockies in August.
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In seven major league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (2018-20) and Rockies (2021-25), Gomber was 35-47 with a 5.08 ERA in 168 games (124 starts).
Comber was 0-7 with a 7.49 ERA in 12 starts for Colorado last year when he was released. He was placed on the 60-day injured list with shoulder soreness early last season, and missed all of April and May with the injury.
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After one August 2025 game, Gomber sounded somber when reflecting on his season.
“I feel like I’m in a tough spot right now, I felt like I let the team down,” he said, via the Denver Gazette. “I feel like I’m a little bit lost out there right now. I don’t really have any confidence, conviction … I don’t have an identity of what I’m trying to do.”
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Now he’ll get a fresh start with the Rangers, who earlier this week acquired a much more promising left-handed pitcher for their 2026 staff; Mackenzie Gore.
The Rangers traded five prospects — Gavin Fien, Alejandro Rosario, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Yeremy Cabrera and Abimelec Ortiz — for Gore, who’s eligible for free agency in two years and made the National League All-Star team in 2025.
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Gomber won’t push Gore for a spot in the Rangers’ rotation, but he’s a nice fallback option in case of an injury. Oft-injured ace Jacob DeGrom made 30 starts last season for the first time since 2019.
Gomber is known more for his command (6.3 walk percentage in 2025) than his overpowering stuff (89.5 mph average fastball velocity) and will begin the season at Triple-A if a major league rotation spot doesn’t open up.
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