MLB free agency rumors: Jeremy Guthrie Now a Free Agent After Released From Rangers
Jeremy Guthrie finally got his request granted after the Texas Rangers announced on Monday that they've agreed to release him, officially making him a free agent. The move is expected to give him enough time to look for a team who's willing to put him in their 40-man major league roster; something the Rangers couldn't give him.
Per CBS Sports, he was supposed to be in competition for the fifth starting position, but Yu Darvish has seen significant progress and is expected to return to action in two months after a successful Tommy John surgery in March of last year. Without Guthrie, the Rangers expect to pick between AJ Griffin and Nick Martinez to man the last spot.
The good thing going for Guthrie though is the fact that he comes with years of major league experience, which can mean that he won't be having a difficult time finding a team that will give him the opportunity to play this season. However, it is also worthy of mention that his back issues can be a deterring factor.
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The 36-year old veteran was given minor league deal by Texas before the start of this year's spring training. In three appearances in the Cactus League, he produced 5.14 ERA with five strikeouts in a seven-inning pitching stint. However, he did give up three homers in that span.
Any team that expresses interest in Guthrie will get tons of experience in return. One of his finest moments in his long career came in 2008 and 2009, where he made his first career complete game, had a stint for Team USA for the 2009 edition of the World Baseball Classic, and pitched on Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles. Although he didn't end his 2009 season on a high note, he redeemed himself with a strong comeback performance in 2010, winning 11 games, which is a career high for him.
