Hammel announced Saturday that he will retire from professional baseball, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Hammel's decision is a surprising one after the Rangers informed a day earlier that he would break camp with the big club as a long reliever. Rather than as a result of any dissatisfaction with his projected role, Hammel opted for retirement after determining that spending more time with his family was a greater priority at this point, according to general manager Jon Daniels. The 13-year veteran wraps up his career with a 96-114 record and 4.62 ERA across 377 big-league appearances (298 starts).
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Rangers' Jason Hammel: Will make roster
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Hammel was told Friday he'd made the Rangers' Opening Day roster, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
The Rangers have yet to officially add Hammel to the 40-man roster, but that transaction should be coming some time in the next few days. Hammel is expected to open the season in the bullpen, but he has 298 starts under his belt so far in his big-league career, and he could be one of the first pitchers called upon should injuries or ineffectiveness strike the Rangers' rotation. The 36-year-old posted ERAs of 5.29 and 6.02 in the last two seasons while calling Kauffman Stadium home, so expectations should be low for him this year at hitter-friendly Globe Life Park.
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Rangers' Jason Hammel: Will not go to minors
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Hammel said he will not go to the minors if he doesn't make the Rangers' roster, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. "I certainly won't go to Triple-A," Hammel said after firing four scoreless innings Friday. "This is a grind. If it requires me to go home, I know my family is waiting for me and has been for a while. I'm more than willing to go home and spend time with them."
Hammel's allowed just one run on four hits and two walks while striking out 10 over 8.2 Cactus League innings. The Rangers already have a projected rotation, so Hammel could stick around as a long reliever/spot starter, and he could be the first option should one of the three starters coming back from Tommy John surgery falter.
Hammel made his debut for the Rangers, throwing two scoreless innings in Tuesday's game against Oakland.
Hammel signed late in the offseason and is behind others at this stage, though manager Chris Woodward told T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com that he has time to compete for a job. Hammel has made 298 career starts and is being stretched out in camp, but Woodward said he's competing for a spot in the Rangers' bullpen.
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Rangers' Jason Hammel: Heads to Texas
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Hammel signed a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to spring training with the Rangers on Friday.
Hammel spent the last two seasons in Kansas City but the Royals declined his option in October, making him a free agent. The 36-year-old struggled with a 5.59 ERA and 1.51 WHIP for the Royals, allowing 44 home runs over 307.1 innings. The veteran right-hander will undoubtedly be looking for a bounce-back season if he can manage to crack the Opening Day roster.
Hammel, who posted a combined 5.59 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 6.9 K/9 in his two seasons with the Royals, would have been due $12 million in 2019, so Kansas City's decision to buy the veteran out for $2 million comes as no surprise. Entering his age-36 season, Hammel doesn't figure to draw much interest as a free agent given his recent struggles, but he figures to at least get an invite to spring training.
The Royals moved Hammel to the bullpen ahead of Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.
Manager Ned Yost elected to pull the plug on Hammel as a starter after the right-hander was touched up for eight runs in just two innings during Friday's loss to the Red Sox. Since the beginning of June, Hammel has gone 0-6 with an 8.03 ERA and 1.95 WHIP over 37 innings in his seven starts. Reliever Burch Smith will move into the rotation while Hammel presumably settles for a mop-up role out of the bullpen.
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Royals' Jason Hammel: Takes sixth straight loss
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Hammel (2-11) took the loss against the Red Sox on Friday, getting shelled for eight earned runs on nine hits in just two innings, walking one without recording a strikeout in Kansas City's 10-5 defeat.
Hammel is in the midst of a brutal stretch, as the veteran right-hander has now given up 21 earned runs over 12 innings in his last three starts, ballooning his ERA up to 6.16 and his WHIP to 1.61 through 102.1 innings. This was also his sixth straight losing decision, so Hammel's struggles this season leave him far off the fantasy radar.
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Royals' Jason Hammel: Roughed up by Mariners
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Hammel (2-10) allowed six earned runs on 13 hits and no walks while striking out four across six innings to take the loss Saturday against the Mariners.
Hammel was roughed up for his second consecutive start as he allowed the Mariners to record all six of their runs in his first three innings of work. Across his last three starts, Hammel has allowed 37 baserunners in just 15.2 innings and his WHIP for the season sits at an unsightly 1.54 as a result. There's not much redeemable about Hammel at the moment as he has just 66 strikeouts in 100.1 innings and has low win upside as a member of the Royals.
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Royals' Jason Hammel: Allows nine runs in loss to Astros
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Hammel (2-9) allowed nine runs (seven earned) on six hits and five walks across four innings while taking the loss Sunday against the Astros. He struck out three.
He endured a nightmare second inning in which he allowed eight runs on four hits, three walks, and a catcher's interference, with the big blow coming on a grand slam from Yulieski Gurriel. Hammel put multiple men on base again in the fourth, allowing an unearned run on a throwing error before escaping without further damage. This disastrous outing was a bit of a disappointment for Hammel, who'd allowed three earned runs or fewer in five of his previous six starts. He'll take a bloated 5.34 ERA into his start next weekend against the Mariners.
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Royals' Jason Hammel: Dealt eighth loss Tuesday
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Hammel (2-8) took the loss Tuesday, allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks while striking out four over 5.2 innings against the Rangers.
Hammel wasn't able to fool Texas hitters, inducing just five swings and misses en route to walking a season-high four. The 35-year-old seemed to be turning a corner of late with a 2.56 ERA over his previous five starts entering Tuesday, so the nine-hit, four-run showing was a bit of a setback. He now sports a 4.98 and 59:25 K:BB over 90.1 innings heading into Monday's makeup game against the Angels.
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Royals' Jason Hammel: Takes seventh loss despite quality start
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Hammel (2-7) allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out three through 7.1 innings but was still stuck with the loss Wednesday against the Reds.
The Royals were shut down by Tyler Mahle and the Reds' bullpen, nullifying a sharp outing from Hammel. Wednesday was his longest outing since he threw a complete game April 20 against Detroit. He was stuck with a no-decision in that start despite allowing just two runs. Even when Hammel does pitch well -- he has a poor 4.89 ERA this season -- the Royals can't be counted on to deliver him the victory. His next chance will come Tuesday against the Rangers.
Hammel (2-6) allowed four earned runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out six across six innings to take the loss Thursday against the Athletics.
Hammel ran into trouble his third time through the A's lineup with three of his four earned runs coming in sixth inning. Prior to that, he had allowed four baserunners with the only earned run coming on a solo home run by Matt Olson. After a disastrous four-start stretch in which he surrendered 25 earned runs across 21 innings, Hammel has rebounded by allowing seven earned runs across his last 24.1 innings pitched.
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Royals' Jason Hammel: Throws quality start
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Hammel (2-5) did not factor in the decison for Saturday's win over the Athletics, allowing three runs on seven hits over six innings. He struck out three and issued two walks.
Hammel was strong through six innings Saturday but came out for the seventh inning only to give up a 417-foot home run to Bruce Maxwell to end his afternoon. The 35-year-old has allowed four runs over his last three starts (18.1 innings), generally looking much better than through his first six weeks of the season. Hammel is expected to take the hill against Oakland again Thursday.
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Royals' Jason Hammel: Throws 5.1 shutout innings
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Hammel (2-5) allowed four hits and two walks while striking out 10 across 5.1 scoreless innings to earn the win Sunday against the Rangers.
Hammel looked uncharacteristically deceptive Sunday, generating 14 swinging strikes on his way to a season-best 10 strikeouts. He has now turned in strong efforts in consecutive starts, combining to allow only one earned run in 12.1 innings while striking out 16. His season-long numbers are inflated from a strong of bad starts, but he has allowed three earned runs or fewer in seven of his 11 starts this season.
