The Texas Rangers announced Saturday that the club has agreed to terms with free agent right-handed pitcher Drew Hutchison on a Major League contract. Texas will make a roster move on Sunday when he formally signs with the team. Hutchison (#48) is the Rangers' scheduled starting pitcher for Sunday's series finale against the Baltimore Orioles.
Hutchison, 27, will be looking to make his first major league start since September 10, 2016 with the Pirates against the Cincinnati Reds. Hutchison began the year in the Phillies bullpen and also pitched primarily as a starter for Oklahoma City (AAA) in the Dodgers organization from mid-June through the end of July. He was initially signed to a minor league deal nwith Philadelphia on February 15 and had his contract purchased by the major league club on March 25. He was designated for assignment by the Phillies on May 31 and rejected an outright assignment to Lehigh Valley (AAA) on June 4, electing free agency. He signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers on June 16 before he requested and was granted his release on July 31.
Hutchison had a 1-1 record and 4.64 ERA (11 ER/21.1 IP) in 11 relief appearances for the Phillies, with his last outing on May 30 at Los Angeles-NL. He went 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA (10 ER/42.0 IP) in 9 games/7 starts with Oklahoma City, including a 3-0 mark with a 1.22 ERA (5 ER/37.0 IP) over his final 7 games/starts. He permitted runs in just one of his 7 starts in the Pacific Coast League, posting 23.0 scoreless innings in his final 4 starts. He last pitched on Monday versus El Paso (ND, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 SO, 90 pitches/65 strikes).
Overall in his major league career, Hutchison has gone 31-22 with a 4.92 (240 ER/439.0 IP) in 93 games/74 starts with Toronto (2012, 2014-16), Pittsburgh (2016), and Philadelphia (2018). He spent two years in the Toronto rotation in 2014-15, combining to go 24-18 with a 4.97 ERA over 62 G/60 GS in those seasons. In his only career outing at Globe Life Park in Arlington on May 16, 2014, Hutchison pitched a complete-game 3-hit shutout against the Rangers.