The Rangers moved to upgrade their bullpen Wednesday night by reaching a tentative agreement with free-agent right-hander Derrick Turnbow on a one-year contract.
Turnbow chose the Rangers over the Marlins and Pirates, in large part because of his familiarity with new pitching coach Mike Maddux, according to agent Damon Lapa. Maddux was Turnbow's pitching coach in Milwaukee.
The Minor League contract would pay Turnbow $925,000 if he makes the Major League club, with another $325,000 in performance incentives.
Turnbow has had shoulder issues and appeared in just eight games for the Brewers in 2008, but did not need surgery and is expected to be 100 percent healthy for the start of Spring Training, according to Lapa. Turnbow, 31 in January, was 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA and 39 saves in 2005 for the Brewers and appeared in 210 games from 2005-07. -- Ken Gurnick
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