ARLINGTON -- Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore has been doing some recruiting.
Well, not exactly. But he’s also not hiding his love for the organization.
The Rangers signed veteran pitcher Trevor Williams to a Major League deal on Tuesday morning, thanks in part to all the good things he’s heard about Texas from Gore. The two were teammates on the Nationals from 2023-25.
“MacKenzie’s been blowing up my phone on how great Texas is,” Williams said at Globe Life Field on Tuesday. “It's been a team that I've always wanted to come to. I've had contact with CY [president of baseball operations Chris Young] before, and I have nothing but respect for this organization. The reason why we play this game is to get to the playoffs and make a run for it. So, when given that opportunity, you can't pass that up. I’m just excited to be here and contribute as much as I can. I’m looking forward to getting out there.”
Williams, who was designated for assignment on Aug. 25, made eight relief appearances for the Nationals this season, posting a 2.65 ERA with 22 strikeouts compared to six walks in 17 innings (eight appearances).
The right-hander missed the first half of 2026 recovering from July 2025 internal brace surgery.
“I've seen him a number of years, obviously, [when I was] in Miami and him being in Washington,” said manager Skip Schumaker. “He's got a really unique fastball, tough to get to. Another veteran pitcher, multi innings, can provide a lot of depth in the bullpen, and also knows how to get big outs. A really good fit. I know MacKenzie is really good friends with him, and was pushing for him, so it's good to have him. Knowing that guys liked him was obviously a plus.”
In his eight-game return with Washington this season, Williams worked two or more innings five times and was scoreless in six of those outings. That includes a season-high 3 1/3 shutout frames with five strikeouts against the Rangers on Aug. 18 at Globe Life Field.
Williams owns a 3.66 ERA in 49 career MLB relief appearances. He’ll likely pitch out of the bullpen for the Rangers during the final stretch. The exact role is fluid.
“We have 20-something games left, so it's all hands on deck at this point,” Schumaker said. “[It’s about] however we can use him to help win games. That's kind of everyone's role right now.”
An 11-year MLB veteran, Williams has pitched in 227 games (178 starts) for the Pirates (2016-20), Cubs (2021), Mets (2021-22) and Nationals (2023-26).
In the week between his DFA and signing with the Rangers, Williams returned home to San Diego to continue playing catch and throwing bullpens while playing the waiting game.
“It's a weird waiting period,” Williams said. “When you're at the park by yourself, not in a baseball setting, you're kind of looking around like, ‘Why am I playing catch?’ But I stayed ready for opportunities like this. My bullpens went fine, and I stayed ready, and we’ll see what happens.”