Kennedy, Frazier among 5 to sign minor deals with Rangers

Updated Jan. 27, 2023 9:30 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Veteran right-hander Ian Kennedy and outfielder Clint Frazier were among five players the Texas Rangers signed Friday to minor league contracts that included invitations to major league spring training.

Left-hander Danny Duffy, right-hander Reyes Moronta and outfielder Travis Jankowski also got invitations to spring training in Arizona.

The 38-year-old Kennedy returns to Texas after going to 4-7 with 10 saves and a 5.36 ERA in 57 relief appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks last season. Kennedy had 16 saves and a 2.51 ERA in 31 relief appearances in 2021 for the Rangers before being traded to Philadelphia in a deadline deal. The 16-year veteran is a former starter who became a reliever in 2019.

Frazier, a first-round draft pick by Cleveland in 2013, batted .216 in 19 games for the Chicago Cubs last season before being designated for assignment on June 10. He spent the rest of the season with Triple-A Iowa, batting .190 in 66 games. He played for the New York Yankees from 2017-21.

Duffy made a 12 starts for the Kansas City Royals in 2021, but didn’t pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season while recovering from left elbow surgery. The 34-year-old Duffy was teammates with Rangers general manager Chris Young with the Royals in 2015 when they were World Series champions.

Jankowski batted .164 with two RBIs and three stolen bases over 44 games between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners in 2022. Moronta was 2-2 with two saves in 39 relief appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Diamondbacks last season.

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