The Texas Rangers announced Monday they've placed former Cleveland pitcher Nick Goody on the roster and acquired RHP Jimmy Herget on waivers out of Cincinnati.
Goody was acquired by Texas on release waivers claim from the Cleveland Indians on Nov. 26 and had five days to accept or reject the assignment. He was designated for assignment by the Indians on Nov. 20 and placed on unconditional release waivers on Nov. 22.
Goody, 28 was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on June 5 and was 3-2 with a 3.54 earned run average in 39 relief appearances with Cleveland the rest of the season. He recorded 50 strikeouts in 40.2 innings and held opponents to a .201/.301/.389 batting line. Goody's opponents' batting average splits were .188 vs. RHP and .226 vs. LHP. The right-hander went 0-1, 7.77 in 21 games at Columbus, posting a 1.69 ERA (2 ER/10.2 IP) in his final eight appearances with the Clippers. Goody is 4-6, 3.81 in 141 career relief appearances with the Yankees (2015-16) and Indians (2017-19). He pitched in just 12 games with Cleveland in 2018 before undergoing right elbow debridement surgery on August 31.
Herget, who was picked up on waivers, is currently rated as the Reds' 25th-best prospect according to MLB.com, and was named by Baseball America as the Best Reliever in both the Florida State League in 2016 and the Southern League in 2017.
Herget, 26, reached the Major Leagues for the first time in 2019, posting no record and a 4.26 ERA over five relief appearances with the Reds. He spent the balance of last season with Triple-A Louisville, going 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA and 1.313 WHIP figure in a team-high 48 relief appearances. The right-hander has led the Bats in appearances in each of the last two seasons and ranked 5th in the International League in games in 2019. Exclusively a reliever in his pro career, Herget has gone 15-15 with a 2.80 ERA and 66 saves in 224 appearances across five minor league seasons in the Cincinnati organization, averaging 10.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings and 3.8 walks per 9.0 innings. The Tampa, FL. native was drafted by the Reds in the 6th round of the 2015 June draft out of the University of South Florida.
To make room for Herget on the Major League roster, left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Springs has been designated for assignment. Springs was 4-1, 6.40 in 25 appearances with Texas and 3-0, 3.86 in six games at Triple-A Nashville in 2019 while missing nearly three months of the season with left biceps tendinitis.
