The Texas Rangers designated left-handed pitcher Marco Gonzales for assignment on Saturday, clearing a roster spot to activate right-hander Jakob Junis from the 15-day injured list.
The move came just one day after the Rangers selected Gonzales’ contract from Triple-A Round Rock.
Gonzales, 34, made a brief and efficient appearance Friday night against the Athletics in West Sacramento. Entering in the eighth inning of an 8-3 loss, he needed only one pitch to induce a double-play grounder from Lawrence Butler, recording two outs.
In his earlier stint with Texas in late July, he posted a 1.50 ERA over six innings in two relief outings, allowing one earned run while recording a save. Across his limited major-league work with the Rangers this season, he has surrendered just one run in 6.2 innings.
This marks the second time the Rangers have designated Gonzales for assignment in 2026. After being called up in July, he was DFA’d on July 31, cleared waivers, elected free agency, and re-signed with Texas on a minor-league deal in early August before being selected again.
Gonzales has been a major-league presence since debuting with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014. Over a career that also includes lengthy stops with the Seattle Mariners and a brief tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024, the left-hander has compiled a 66-50 record with a 4.14 ERA across more than 930 innings.
He was a durable back-end starter for years in Seattle, highlighted by a 16-win season in 2019, before injuries limited him. He missed the entire 2025 season recovering from elbow surgery and struggled in the minors this year with the Padres and Rangers organizations, posting elevated ERAs in Triple-A.
The latest designation reflects the fluid nature of the Rangers’ pitching depth as they navigate injuries and roster constraints.
Junis, who has posted a strong ERA in relief this season, returns after dealing with a left adductor strain. Gonzales will now go through the waiver process; if he clears, he could elect free agency again or remain in the organization on an outright assignment.
For a pitcher with more than a decade of big-league experience, the move is another reminder of how quickly roles can shift late in a career.
Gonzales has shown he can still provide effective short-term innings, but the Rangers’ immediate needs favored Junis’ return.
Whether another team claims him or Texas retains him in the minors remains to be seen in the coming days.
