RHP Patton minor deal with Rangers after 4 seasons in Japan

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Spencer Patton has signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers that includes an invitation to spring training after pitching in Japan the past four seasons. Patton was 12-9 with a 3.68 ERA in 219 games with the Yokohama Bay Stars in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2017-20. The right-hander made 16 relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs during the 2016 regular season, but didn’t appear in the playoffs when they won the World Series that fall. His first big league experience came with 36 relief appearances for the Rangers in 2014 and 2015.