Free agent right-hander Juan Nicasio has signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and will go to spring training as a non-roster invitee.
Nicasio has played for six big league teams in his nine major league seasons, and was on an opening day roster each of the past eight years. The 33-year-old reliever made 47 appearances for Philadelphia last season, when he spent time on the injured list because of a left groin strain and right shoulder tendinitis.
The Rangers also Wednesday assigned left-hander Kyle Bird outright to Triple-A Nashville. He had been designated for assignment a week earlier, and will also go to spring training as a non-roster player.
A former starter, Nicasio has made at least at lest 45 appearances in each of the past five seasons. He has a 40-46 career record and 4.64 ERA in 362 games (82 starts) with Colorado (2011-14), the Los Angeles Dodgers (2015), Pittsburgh (2016-17), Philadelphia (2017, 2019), St. Louis (2017) and Seattle (2018).
