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The Texas Rangers have placed Adrian Sampson on unconditional release waivers, the team announced today. Texas is releasing the righthander so that he can join the Lotte Giants of the KBO for the 2020 season.
We learned last week that Sampson, 28, was negotiating a deal to join the Lotte Giants. Sampson will have the opportunity to make more money in Korea pitching than he likely would make staying in the United States, given he was expected to be dropped from the Rangers’ 40 man roster, and would likely have to sign a minor league deal for 2020 with an American team.
Sampson was originally drafted in 2012 by the Pirates, and was traded to the Seattle Mariners in 2015 for J.A. Happ. The Rangers claimed him on waivers after the 2016 season, and Sampson spent the 2017-19 seasons in the Rangers organization. Sampson put up a 5.64 ERA and a 5.74 FIP for Texas in 148.1 IP, most of them coming in 2019.