Veteran LHP Duffy signs minor league deal with Rangers, and former OF Peters returns as a pitcher

Updated Feb. 5, 2024 7:47 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Veteran left-hander Danny Duffy is going to spring training with the Texas Rangers on a minor league contract for the second year in a row, still looking to pitch in the majors for the first time since surgery for a left flexor tendon injury in 2021.

The defending World Series champions on Monday announced that Duffy, catcher José Godoy and left-hander Chasen Shreve signed minor league deals with invitations to spring training. That gives Texas 27 non-roster invitees to spring training in Arizona later this month.

DJ Peters, who hit 12 homers in 52 games as an outfielder with the Rangers in 2021, also signed and will be in their minor league camp as a right-handed pitcher.

The 35-year-old Duffy last pitched in the majors in 2021, when he made 12 starts for the Kansas City Royals. He made seven minor league appearances while in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 2022, then signed with the Rangers and went 2-2 with a 3.28 ERA in 28 appearances last year between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. He had 42 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings, but also walked 29.

In 11 big league seasons, all with the Royals from 2011-21, Duffy is 68-68 with a 3.95 ERA in 234 games (204 starts). He pitched in back-to-back World Series, winning the 2015 title with Kansas City in the first of his three seasons as teammates there with current Rangers general manager Chris Young.

Shreve was 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA in 50 relief appearances combined for Detroit and Cincinnati last season, when he was twice designated for assignment. The 33-year-old lefty has 367 career relief appearances, going 22-14 with a 3.97 ERA while pitching for seven different teams over the past 10 seasons.

Godoy has appeared in 26 big league games for three teams. He played 16 games for Seattle in 2021, then in 2022 played two with Minnesota and eight with Pittsburgh.

Texas acquired Peters off waivers from the Dodgers in August 2021, then he split 2022 between the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization and Triple-A Rochester in the Minnesota Twins system. The 6-foot-5 righty was in the Detroit Tigers organization last season. He made a mid-summer switch to pitching and went 1-0 with a 6.23 ERA in 17 relief appearances in rookie ball. He struck out 27 and walked 27 over 21 2/3 innings.

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