The Texas Rangers made another low-cost move to bolster their bullpen on Monday, signing 41-year-old Jesse Chavez to a Minor League contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training.

The righty pitched the last three seasons with the Atlanta Braves, including on the team's 2021 World Series championship team. He pitched to a 3.13 ERA and 1.247 WHIP over 63.1 innings and 46 appearances in 2024. His 4.43 FIP, however, may point to a degree of luck to back up those numbers.

Though Chavez's velocity has dipped as he's aged and his strikeout rate is well below average, he's managed to get hitters out by forcing weak contact and keeping his walk rate low.

Chavez was the oldest player to pitch in the National League last season. Many expected him to retire at the end of last season, but just last week revealed that he plans to give it another run in 2025.

A career journeyman, Chavez spent 2018 to 2020 with the Rangers. He has been traded nine times in his career, including twice by Texas, and pitched for eight different teams. Texas originally drafted him in the 42nd round of the 2002 draft, flipping him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Kip Wells in 2006. Chavez made his Major League debut in 2008 and has appeared in every season since then.

In addition to Chavez, the Rangers announced a similar deal with outfielder Cody Thomas and made official previously reported contracts with right-handed starting pitcher David Buchanan and catcher Chad Wallach.

Jesse Chavez joins a revamped Rangers bullpen

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With Kirby Yates, David Robertson, José Leclerc and Andrew Chafin all hitting the free agent market this winter, the team's relief corps is destined to look entirely different. Robertson and Chafin are both still available, but with the Rangers seemingly reluctant to spend, it's not likely they will reunite with either.

Instead, Chavez will join Robert Garcia, Chris Martin, Jacob Webb, Shawn Armstrong and Hoby Milner as the new relievers in Arlington.

Garcia, who still has not reached arbitration, came over in the Nathanial Lowe trade, while the team gave small-money one-year deals to the other four.

Of the other newcomers, Martin had the best season of the bunch in 2024 with the Boston Red Sox. He pitched in 45 games, building a 3.45 ERA and 1.128 WHIP in 44.1 innings. As a result, Texas gave him the biggest deal, signing him to a $5.5 million contract.