The Texas Rangers are continuing to bolster their pitching staff as we now sit just two weeks away from the beginning of Spring Training.

On Sunday afternoon, the Rangers inked a minor-league deal with seven-year veteran LHP Austin Gomber.

Gomber’s deal includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training, where he will presumably compete for the fifth starter role.

Last season with the Colorado Rockies, Gomber went 0-7 with a 7.49 ERA in the tough pitching conditions of Coors Field.

However, Gomber ended the season on a high note in AAA with the Chicago Cubs, allowing just one run over his last 19 innings.

In 2024, Gomber fully experienced the negative effects of pitching at high altitude, allowing a league-leading 30 home runs.

Altogether, in five seasons with the Rockies, Gomber accumulated an ERA of 5.31 in 601.2 innings pitched.

In 2014, Gomber was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, where he spent two big league seasons in 2018 and again in 2020, posting a 3.72 ERA in just 104 innings.

Following the 2020 season, Gomber was traded from St. Louis to Colorado in the trade that sent star third baseman Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals.

As things stand now, Gomber will be competing with the likes of Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker for the final spot in the Rangers rotation.

When stacking things up now, it appears the Texas starters will be led by Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, followed by young arms MacKenzie Gore and Jack Leiter, and rounded out by whoever wins the fifth starter's role.

If Latz winds up being the fifth starter, there could still be use for Gomber as a swing man out of the bullpen.

Whichever role Gomber pitches in if he does make the team, he will no doubt have some big shoes to fill after the successes of last season’s Rangers pitching staff.

In 2025, the Rangers trotted out the best staff in all of baseball, and they are looking to do the same with some new faces in 2026.

If the pitching staff comes even close to the same level they were last season and the Rangers offense has a bounce back year, things could be looking great for Texas to return to the postseason for the first time since winning it all in 2023.

The Rangers will open their Spring Training exhibition schedule on February 20th against the Kansas City Royals, and those games will be huge for Gomber, who will need to put forth strong performances to show he is worthy of a spot on the Opening Day roster.

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