Texas Rangers claim LHP David Rollins on waivers

The Texas Rangers have claimed lefthanded pitcher David Rollins on waivers from the Chicago Cubs. Rollins, who turns 27 next month, has a 7.60 ERA in 34.1 IP over 31 games in the majors, all with the Mariners in 2015-16.

Rollins has an odd procedural history...he was drafted three different times from San Jacinto College in Houston, including twice by the Seattle Mariners, finally signing in 2011 as a 24th round pick of the Blue Jays. Toronto sent him as one of seven players as part of that odd swap of spare parts with the Astros that happened in 2012, when the Astros sent David Carpenter, J.A. Happ and Brandon Lyon to the Jays.

Rollins was a Rule 5 selection of the M’s from the Astros prior to the 2015 season, and was promptly suspended in the spring of 2015 for a positive PED test. Rollins has spent the past two seasons in the M’s organization, and then was claimed on waivers by the Cubs four days ago. Rollins will now, no doubt, be waived by the Rangers, in an effort to outright him, much the way the Cubs waived Rollins immediately after claiming him in an effort to outright him.

Rollins has started in the past, but since 2015 has only pitched in relief. He’s a guy who, I presume, the Rangers are snagging in an effort to improve their depth in Round Rock.

The Rangers’ 40 man roster is now full, at 40, though as I mentioned above, I suspect Rollins is being waived shortly.