Tyler Zombro gets a fresh start in signing a minor league contract with the Rangers two years after undergoing brain surgery.
The right-handed reliever hasn’t seen much mound action in the last three years, appearing in only 11 games for many reasons from the COVID-19 global pandemic to suffering a fractured skull in 2021 after he was hit by a line drive to the head, prompting emergency surgery.
ESPN reported the news of Zombro’s career move, who is expected to report to the Round Rock Express, Texas’ Triple-A affiliate.
Zombro, 28, made his monumental comeback after surgery in April of the 2022 season with the Durham Bills, where he was greeted with a standing ovation.
He made two quick appearances only to go back for a surgery to fix his thoracic outlet syndrome.
As a result, the Tampa Bay Rays let him go — the team he had spent his entire career with since 2017 after he was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of George Mason University.
“That’s been one of the moments that certainly hit me the hardest,” Zombro told MLB.com at the time. “Between that and obviously speaking to [Durham manager] Brady [Williams] and talking with Cumberland yesterday, there have been a lot of emotions. But I think it all came kind of full circle there and definitely was a symbol of me ‘completing the journey’ to be back to performing in Triple-A.”
In 99 minor outings and 179.1 innings pitched, he compiled a 2.91 ERA,144 strikeouts, and a 5.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Zombro may have ample opportunity to show his arm in the majors, as the Rangers bullpen holds the seventh-worst ERA in the league, and are probably more willing to welcome newcomers to find what may be a right fit.