Right-hander Edinson Volquez, who underwent Tommy John surgery for the second time in 2017, was added to the Texas Rangers' 40-man major league roster Nov. 20, making his contract now officially a major league deal worth $2 million.
Under a minor league deal that returned Volquez to his original team last February, the 35-year-old would get a one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster, and he was indeed among those added to the roster last week, according to multiple reports.
As a result, Volquez now has a chance to compete to be a candidate for the Rangers rotation in 2019. The veteran starter did not pitch at all last season while recovering from ligament reconstruction surgery on his throwing elbow in 2017.
Volquez has a 93-87 career record in 276 games for seven teams. He made his MLB debut for the Rangers at age 22 on Aug. 30, 2005, and was traded to Cincinnati after the 2007 season in the deal that sent slugger Josh Hamilton to Texas. He also has pitched for San Diego, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Miami.
In his best season as a major leaguer, Volquez went 17-6 and was an All-Star while pitching for the Reds in 2008. He was a 13-game winner for the Royals when they won the World Series in 2015, and threw a no-hitter for Miami in 2017.
