ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers right-hander Jakob Junis was named among the top relievers in this winter’s free agent class Thursday in an early outlook on the market from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Junis signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Texas in January, and the deal includes a $5 million mutual option for 2027 with a $1.25 million buyout.
Passan broke down five relievers in detail before listing Junis with the other top right-handers in the class. In the same piece, Passan projected that every mutual option in Major League Baseball will be declined.
Jakob Junis’ 2026 Season With The Texas Rangers
Junis is making $2.75 million this season, the AP reported when the deal was finalized Jan. 20. He has made one start for Texas, and the rest of his appearances have come in relief.
Junis has been on the injured list twice. He missed 11 games from July 1 to July 17 with a right hip impingement, then went back on the 15-day injured list July 30 with a left adductor strain. At the time of the second placement, Junis was 1-1 with 5 saves and a 2.70 ERA in 36 appearances. The Rangers activated him Aug. 15.
His slider is his best pitch, and it accounted for nearly half of his pitches when he signed, MLB.com reported in January. His 34th birthday is Sept. 16.
Jakob Junis’ Path From Starter To Reliever
The Kansas City Royals drafted Junis in the 29th round in 2011 out of Rock Falls Township High School in Illinois, and he debuted in the majors April 12, 2017. Entering this season, he had made 116 starts among his 249 career appearances. Junis is one of four active pitchers with at least 100 starts and 100 relief appearances since 2017.
Kansas City kept Junis through 2021. He pitched for the San Francisco Giants in 2022 and 2023, then split 2024 between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds after Milwaukee traded him at the deadline. Junis posted a 2.69 ERA over 67 innings across the two stops in 2024.
Last winter was the fourth time Junis entered free agency, MLB.com reported, and the first time he did so after a season without a start. He had signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Cleveland Guardians for 2025. Over 57 relief appearances for Cleveland, Junis threw 66 2/3 innings and allowed 64 hits, 22 earned runs, and 18 walks while striking out 55. His ERA was 2.97. Across 2024 and 2025, Junis had a 2.83 ERA in 133 2/3 innings, according to MLB.com.
After Thursday’s finale at Seattle, Texas has 15 games left in the regular season, starting with three against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Texas sits two games behind the first-place Houston Astros at 72-74.
