Arlington, Texas — The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has agreed to terms with each of its three arbitration eligible players on 2020 contracts: outfielder Joey Gallo, right-handed pitcher Rafael Montero, and infielder/outfielder Danny Santana. No further terms were disclosed.
Gallo compiled a .253/.389/.589/.986 slash line with 22 home runs and 49 RBI over 70 games with Texas in 2019, landing his first career All-Star selection. Gallo is the only MLB player to hit at least 20 home runs prior to the All-Star break in each of the past three seasons (2017-18-19). Despite missing the final two-plus months of last season due to a fractured hook of hamate bone in his right wrist, Gallo’s 103 home runs since the start of 2017 are tied for 10th-most in MLB over that span.
Montero posted a 2-0 record with a 2.48 ERA, 0.966 WHIP figure, and .217 opponents batting average over 22 relief appearances with the Rangers last season. He returned to the Majors for the first time since 2017, as he began the year on the minor league injured list while continuing a return from March 27, 2018, ‘Tommy John’ ligament replacement surgery in his right elbow.
Santana was selected as the 2019 Rangers Player of the Year by the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America after posting career highs in almost every offensive category. He batted .283/.324/.534/.857 with 28 home runs and 81 RBI over 130 games in his first season with Texas, becoming the first player in franchise history to make starts at every infield (1B-2B-3B-SS) and outfield (LF-CF-RF) position.
With today’s agreements, 17 of the 40 players currently on the Major League roster are under contract for 2020.
INF YADIEL RIVERA SIGNED TO MINORS CONTRACT: The Rangers have also signed infielder Yadiel Rivera (pronounced YAH-dee-el) to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League spring training camp. Rivera, 27, appeared in 34 games for the Marlins last season, spending the bulk of the campaign at Triple-A New Orleans, where he batted .293/.310/.477/.786 with a career-high 14 home runs and 46 RBI over 82 contests. He has seen limited action in the outfield and at first base, but has at least 13 MLB starts at each of third base, shortstop, and second base. The Puerto Rico native has big league time in each of the last five campaigns with Milwaukee (2015-17) and Miami (2018-19).
From Rangers PR staff reports
