Palumbo agreed Monday with the Rangers on a minor-league contract, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
The left-hander was spotted at camp Monday and is set to begin his second stint with the Texas organization. Texas drafted Palumbo back in 2013, and he spent the first eight professional seasons with the club, seeing big-league action in 2019 and 2020. Injuries have derailed the 28-year-old's career over the past couple of years, however, so the Rangers will likely be counting on him merely to fill some organizational pitching depth at Triple-A Round Rock in 2023.
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Joe Palumbo: Searching for new organization
Rotowire
The Giants released Palumbo from his minor-league contract Monday.
Palumbo lost his spot on Triple-A Sacramento's roster after the Giants optioned right-hander Sean Hjelle to their top affiliate in a corresponding move. A former top prospect in the Rangers organization, Palumbo reached the big leagues for the first time in his age-24 campaign in 2019, but he's made just two MLB appearances in the three seasons since. His release comes after he was tagged for five earned runs on six hits and two walks across 1.1 innings in his three relief appearances for Sacramento.
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Giants' Joe Palumbo: Set to pitch Sunday
Rotowire
Palumbo (undisclosed) is set to pitch in Sunday's Cactus League game versus the Reds, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Palumbo is expected to pitch an inning or two as a reliever behind Sammy Long in the Giants' third game of spring training. He was limited to 6.2 innings last season with Triple-A Round Rock, so it's likely the 27-year-old will begin 2022 at the same level with Triple-A Sacramento. He's often worked as a starter in the minors, but the southpaw may have to settle for a relief role if he works into the Giants' major-league plans.
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Giants' Joe Palumbo: Rejoins Giants
Rotowire
Palumbo (undisclosed) signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Thursday, Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America reports.
Palumbo was claimed off waivers by the Giants on Nov. 5, only to be non-tendered by the club 25 days later. Now back for a second stint with the team, he'll have to prove that he's healthy after being limited to only 6.2 innings in 2021 due to an undisclosed injury.
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Joe Palumbo: Let go by Giants
Rotowire
Palumbo (undisclosed) was non-tendered by the Giants on Tuesday, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Palumbo was limited to 6.2 minor-league innings last season while battling a back injury earlier in the year and an unspecified issue later on. He'll now enter free agency as a bit of a question mark.
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Giants' Joe Palumbo: Grabbed by Giants
Rotowire
Palumbo (undisclosed) was claimed off waivers by the Giants on Friday.
Palumbo didn't throw a single major-league inning this season and threw just 6.2 in the minors. He dealt with a back injury in the early part of the season and an undisclosed injury late in the year, so it's a bit of a mystery what he'll be able to do for the Giants next season, but the southpaw was considered a moderately interesting prospect for the Rangers a few years ago.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Likely done for season
Rotowire
Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels said last week that Palumbo will likely be shut down for the rest of the season after he picked up an undisclosed injury at Triple-A Round Rock in late June, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
Palumbo missed time in May and June due to a back strain, but it's unclear whether his latest health setback is related to that injury. He last appeared in a game for Round Rock on June 24 before being placed on the 7-day injured list two weeks later. Daniels suggested that Palumbo's shutdown will just be extended through the summer, so the 26-year-old lefty could be ready to go for the Rangers' fall instructionals.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Returns from back injury
Rotowire
Palumbo (back) was reinstated from Triple-A Round Rock's 7-day injured list and made a relief appearance in Monday's 4-3 win over Oklahoma City. He retired one of the four batters he faced, giving up a hit, a walk and a hit by pitch.
The appearance was Palumbo's first since May 24 while he recovered from a back strain. The 26-year-old lefty was once regarded as one of Texas' most promising pitching prospects, but his long-term outlook has dimmed with the Rangers moving him to a relief role at Triple-A this season.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Dealing with back strain
Rotowire
Palumbo isn't expected to throw for at least two weeks due to a back strain, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Palumbo posted an 8.44 ERA and 2.44 WHIP in 5.1 innings across his first three appearances (two starts) with Triple-A Round Rock this season. However, the southpaw dealt with back injuries this spring that have apparently resurfaced, and he'll be shut down as a result. It's not yet clear when Palumbo could return to game action.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
Palumbo was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
The 26-year-old dealt with some back spasms and appeared in only two Cactus League games since making his debut March 4. Palumbo should open the season as a member of Round Rock's starting rotation.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Slated to pitch Tuesday
Rotowire
Palumbo (back) is expected to pitch in relief behind starter Jordan Lyles in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Angels.
Palumbo looks to have moved past his bout with the back spasms that have prevented him from pitching in a spring game since March 4. Unless the Rangers elect to place him on the 10-day IL rather than optioning him, the 26-year-old lefty is expected to open the season as a member of the Triple-A Round Rock rotation.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Contending with back spasms
Rotowire
The Rangers announced Tuesday that Palumbo has been dealing with back spasms in recent days, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram repots.
Palumbo is expected to be rested for the next few days before he resumes throwing. Assuming the injury proves to be nothing more than a day-to-day concern, Palumbo's bid for a spot in the Rangers' Opening Day rotation shouldn't be completely derailed.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Makes spring debut
Rotowire
Palumbo allowed three earned runs on three hits and a walk while striking out one Thursday against the Padres.
Palumbo's 2020 season was cut short due to ulcerative colitis, though he's entered camp fully healthy. While the results weren't particularly positive in this outing, Palumbo was reportedly working on his changeup -- a pitch he was developing throughout the offseason.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Likely a reliever
Rotowire
Palumbo (abdomen) is healthy again, but the Rangers are taking it slow with the left-hander, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Taking it slow means Palumbo, once considered a prime contender for a rotation spot, will probably be limited to the bullpen in 2021. Texas manager Chris Woodward isn't ruling out using him as a starter but said it would be a "progression" to get that point. Palumbo was shut down early and limited to 2.1 innings in 2020 due to ulcerative colitis.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Placed on injured list
Rotowire
Palumbo was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday due to an ulcerative colitis flare-up.
Palumbo hadn't made any appearances out of the bullpen since Aug. 1, and Friday's transaction provides an explanation for his lack of usage. The move is retroactive to Aug. 4, so he'll be able to return as early as next weekend. The southpaw allowed three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out five over 2.1 innings across two appearances to begin the season. Once he returns, Palumbo should continue to pitch mainly in low-leverage situations.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Staying in bullpen
Rotowire
Palumbo, who entered Sunday's game after starter Corey Kluber was removed due to a shoulder injury, will remain in the Rangers' bullpen, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
The Rangers have Palumbo and Koby Allard as starting depth, but manager Chris Woodward opted for Allard. Texas general manager Jon Daniels said Palumbo would serve the team better in the immediate future in the bullpen.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Yields three runs in loss
Rotowire
Palumbo (0-1) allowed three runs in two innings Sunday, yielding three hits and a walk while taking the loss against Colorado. He struck out four batters.
Palumbo entered the game in the second inning after Corey Kluber left with a shoulder injury. He fired two perfect innings before unraveling in the fourth, allowing five straight batters to reach base before he was taken out. The 25-year-old lefty will likely remain in a long-relief role for the 2020 season.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Works in relief Thursday
Rotowire
Palumbo pitched three scoreless inning of relief during Thursday's intrasquad game, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four.
Palumbo is considered part of the rotation depth, but the left-hander was deployed as a reliever Thursday. That's due to Texas being down a couple of left-handers in the bullpen -- Joely Rodriguez (lat) and Brett Martin (illness). "Obviously that was super-impressive," manager Chris Woodward said. "The fastball was coming in hot. The curve and slider were really good. It was impressive." It's unclear if this means Palumbo will be used as a reliever immediately. The Rangers are still evaluating No. 5 starter Jordan Lyles, who may not be part of the first turn through the rotation.
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Rangers' Joe Palumbo: Starts Friday
Rotowire
Palumbo allowed one run in 2.2 innings as a starter in Friday's intrasquad game, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
Palumbo enters 2020 as a depth starter and should be considered as a sixth or seventh starter. That means the left-hander will be one of the first fill-in starters if the Rangers need one. "I am just going to show up every day and be ready to go when I get that chance to get the ball on the mound and give it 110 percent," said Palumbo. Should a starter suffer an injury that keeps him out indefinitely, Palumbo could vault into a fantasy relevant role.
