Rangers bring back Josh Sborz on minor league contract
By Darragh McDonald
January 20, 2026 | 7:13 PM CDT
The Texas Rangers announced on Tuesday that they have re-signed right-handed reliever Josh Sborz to a minor league agreement, which includes an invitation to Major League spring training. Sborz is represented by the McNamara Baseball Group.
Now 32 years old, Sborz returns to an organization he has been part of for the past five seasons. His most memorable year with Texas came in 2023. While his regular-season numbers were underwhelming he posted a 5.50 ERA advanced metrics painted a far more encouraging picture. Sborz recorded a strong 30.7% strikeout rate and limited walks to 7.9%, both indicators of effective underlying performance. A low 56% strand rate inflated his ERA, while his 3.75 FIP and 3.05 SIERA suggested he pitched far better than his surface results showed.
Those numbers became reality when the postseason arrived. Sborz was dominant during the Rangers’ championship run, throwing 12 innings across 10 playoff appearances. He allowed just one earned run and struck out 13 hitters, emerging as one of the most valuable arms in Texas’ bullpen during their title-winning campaign.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed his momentum after that peak. Shoulder and rotator cuff problems limited Sborz to just 16â…“ innings in 2024. He underwent debridement surgery in November of that year, a procedure expected to sideline him for at least the first two to three months of the 2025 season. His recovery lagged behind expectations, and he ultimately did not pitch at all during the 2025 campaign.
Despite having the option to retain Sborz through arbitration for 2026, the Rangers chose not to tender him a contract. Players who miss an entire season often see their salaries remain unchanged, and MLBTR’s Matt Swartz projected Sborz to earn roughly the same $1.1 million he made in 2025. Texas instead allowed him to reach free agency.
From the Rangers’ perspective, reuniting with Sborz on a non-roster deal carries minimal risk. The team can evaluate his health and velocity during spring training to determine whether he can reclaim his previous form now that he is further removed from surgery.
This move also reflects Texas’ ongoing approach to bullpen construction amid budget constraints. For the second straight offseason, the Rangers have focused on low-cost relief options. Last winter, they handed out one-year deals of $5.5 million or less to pitchers such as Chris Martin, Hoby Milner, Luke Jackson, Jacob Webb, and Shawn Armstrong. While many of those arms performed adequately, most have since moved on, forcing the club to rebuild the bullpen once again.
So far this offseason, Texas has re-signed Martin and added Jakob Junis, Alexis DÃaz, and Tyler Alexander, all on contracts worth $4 million or less. Those relievers will join holdovers like Robert Garcia and Cole Winn, with Rule 5 selection Carter Baumler also in the mix.
Sborz now enters spring training as a long-shot candidate, but if his stuff returns, he could force his way back onto the Rangers’ active roster and reestablish himself as a key bullpen piece.
