Joe Nathan pitched two years for the Texas Rangers in 2012 and 2013 and in both years he was an all-star closer. In 2013, he put together one of the more dominant seasons from a closer in recent memory when he put up a 1.39 ERA with 43 saves and 73 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings.
Then, he was gone — electing to sign a big free agent deal with the Detroit Tigers, struggling in 2014 with a 4.81 ERA and pitching one-third of an inning in 2015 before needing Tommy John surgery despite getting a save in the one game he pitched, recording the one out on, you guessed it, a strikeout.
Now, Nathan is a 41-year-old free agent looking to continue his career after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April under the knife of Rangers team doctor Keith Meister in Arlington.
Nathan's camp has said roughly eight teams have been contact with the veteran, including the Rangers. Nathan likely wouldn't be available to pitch until the middle of the summer, but that could be a good thing.
"The idea of a fresh arm at mid-season, though, is appealing," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels told The Dallas Morning News.
