On Sunday, reports came out that the Texas Rangers are close to signing Doug Fister to a one-year, $3.5 million contract with an option for the 2019 season according to Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston.
Source: Rangers to sign Doug Fister to a major league deal, pending a physical. Righty leaves the Red Sox, who helped him get back on track https://t.co/8uOAfWudix
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) November 26, 2017
Source: Fister gets a 1-year, $4 million deal from Texas that includes a team option for 2019. Escalators can take the option to $7M and there are incentives in both years.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) November 26, 2017
Texas Rangers to Sign Doug Fister, Pending Physical
As of right now, the deal is not official yet because the Rangers are waiting on Fister to take a physical.
Fister played with the Boston Red Sox during the 2017 season. The right-handed pitcher made 15 starts and 18 appearances, he went 5-9, had an ERA of 4.88, threw one complete game, logged 90.1 innings pitched, walked 38 batters, struck out 83, and averaged 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
Fister had a WAR of 0.0 during the 2017 campaign but has a WAR of 19.5 in his career.
Career
The right-handed hurler has played nine seasons in the majors; three with the Seattle Mariners, three with the Detroit Tigers, two with the Washington Nationals, one with the Houston Astros, and one season with the Red Sox. Fister has spent the majority of his career in the American League.
Fister has made 214 starts in his career and has 230 appearances, has a record of 82-85, an ERA of 3.68, eight complete games (two shutouts), has recorded one save, has pitched in 1356.1 innings, has walked 313 batters, has thrown 930 strikeouts, has averaged 2.1 walks per nine innings, and has an average of 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
Fister made his major league debut on August 8, 2009, with the Mariners. He was named AL Pitcher of the Month for September in 2011.
The 33-year old righty played college baseball for California State University Fresno. Fister was drafted on three separate occasions, once in 2003 with the San Francisco Giants (failed to sign), another time in 2005 with the New York Yankees (failed to sign), and finally in 2006 signed with the Mariners in the seventh round.
In 2017, Fister signed a contract with the Los Angeles Angels but opted out of his contract minor league contract on June 21st and was placed on waivers. Two days later, the Red Sox claimed him.
Fister is 6-feet-8-inches tall and is one of the tallest Major League Baseball players currently.
