Rangers signs RHP Ian Kennedy to Minor League contract with Spring Training invite

The following is a press release from the Texas Rangers:

Surprise, Ariz. — The Texas Rangers today announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Ian Kennedy to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training camp.

Kennedy, 36, has spent the past five seasons with the Kansas City Royals, including 15 games/one start with the club in 2020 before a left calf injury derailed his campaign.  Over the past five seasons with K.C., he combined to go 22-37 with a 4.48 ERA and 1.306 WHIP figure over 163 games/86 starts from 2016-20.  He has pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen in the past two seasons, averaging 10.2 strikeouts per 9 innings in 2019-20.

Kennedy was selected Royals Pitcher of the Year in 2019 after recording 30 saves in his first full campaign as a reliever.  He posted a career-high 21 wins with Arizona in 2011, and made at least 30 starts in eight consecutive seasons from 2010-17.  He has gone 97-105 with a 4.13 ERA over 369 games/290 starts in his MLB career with the Yankees (2007-09), Diamondbacks (2010-13), Padres (2013-15), and Royals (2016-20).

With the addition of Kennedy, the Rangers still have 74 players on the club’s Spring Training roster: a full 40-man roster along with 34 non-roster invitees.