The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has signed free agent right-handed pitcher Shawn Kelley to a one-year contract for 2019 that includes a club option for the 2020 season. Financial terms were not disclosed, per club policy.
 
To make room on the major league roster for Kelley, the Rangers have designated outfielder John Andreoli for assignment.
 
Kelley, 35, combined to go 2-0 with a 2.94 ERA (16 ER/49.0 IP) over 54 relief appearances with Washington and Oakland in 2018. He ranked sixth among MLB relievers (minimum 45.0 innings) with a .237 opponents on-base percentage, and seventh with a 0.898 WHIP figure. Opposing hitters batted just .122 (5-41) against Kelley with runners in scoring position, tying for sixth-best mark in the major leagues last season (min. 40 at-bats). After he was traded by the Nationals to the A's on August 5, Kelley posted a 2.16 ERA and 0.780 WHIP for Oakland, one of just 11 MLB relievers to post figures that low in both categories over that span (minimum 15.0 innings).
 
Kelley has a career record of 27-23 with a 3.67 ERA, 1.167 WHIP, and 10.3 strikeouts per 9 innings over 443 relief appearances with Seattle (2009-12), New York-AL (2013-14), San Diego (2015), Washington (2016-18), and Oakland (2018). Since the start of 2015, he has produced a 3.32 ERA (68 ER/184.1 IP) in 207 games, and his 1.042 WHIP in that span ranks 12th among major league relievers with at least 180.0 innings.
 
The Rangers have seven days to trade, release, or outright Andreoli to the minor leagues. He was acquired from Seattle in a January 15 waiver claim after playing 26 games with the Mariners and Orioles in 2018, his first major league action.
 
With today's transactions, the Rangers still have 62 players on the club's spring training roster: a full 40-man major league roster, along with 22 non-roster invitees.