Surprise, Ariz. - The Texas Rangers formally announced this morning that the club has signed free agent right-handed pitcher Tim Lincecum (#44) to a one-year contract for the 2018 season. To make room for Lincecum on the major league roster, the team has designated catcher Brett Nicholas for assignment.
One of only 19 pitchers in major league history to win multiple Cy Young Awards, the four-time All-Star was a fixture on the Giants for his first 9 big league seasons from 2007-15. He holds the Giants franchise record for games with 10-or-more strikeouts (36), and owns the 2 highest single-season strikeout totals by a pitcher since the franchise moved to San Francisco in 1958 (265 SO in 2008, 261 SO in 2009). He earned rings with each of the Giants' 3 World Championship clubs in 2010, 2012, and 2014, including 2 wins in San Francisco's 2010 World Series victory over the Rangers.
The 33-year-old Lincecum last pitched in 2016, when he made 9 starts for the Angels. His last big league outing came with the Angels on August 5, 2016 at Seattle in his hometown, and his last major league win was on July 19, 2016 versus Texas.
Lincecum was selected as the National League Cy Young Award winner in both 2008 and 2009, becoming the first player ever to take the honor in each of his first two full seasons in the big leagues. He became the 31st pitcher ever with multiple no-hitters when he accomplished the feat in both 2013 and 2014 against the Padres. He has a career record of 110-89 with a 3.74 ERA over 278 games/270 starts in his major league career with San Francisco (2007-15) and Los Angeles-AL (2016), averaging 9.3 strikeouts per 9 innings with a 1.293 WHIP figure.
Nicholas has spent his entire career in the Texas organization since being selected in the 6th round of the 2010 June draft. He saw major league action with the Rangers in each of the last 2 seasons, batting .252 with 4 home runs and 15 RBI in 37 games. The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright Nicholas to the minor leagues.
With Lincecum wearing #44, outfielder Destin Hood has switched to #14.
Following today's transactions, the Rangers still have 67 players on the club's spring training roster: a full 40-man roster, 26 non-roster invitees, and one player (Palumbo) on the 60-day disabled list. Three pitchers on the list of non-roster invitees are rehabbing from 2017 Tommy John surgery: Chi Chi Gonzalez, Shawn Tolleson, and Edinson Volquez.