Arlington, Texas ¡ª The Texas Rangers tonight announced that the club has signed right-handed relief pitcher Chris Martin to a one-year Major League contract for the 2025 season. To make room for Martin on the club¡¯s Major League roster, right-handed pitcher Matt Festa has been designated for assignment.

Martin, 38, went 3-1 with a 3.45 ERA (17 ER/44.1 IP) in 45 relief appearances for Boston in 2024. The 6-8 right-hander struck out 50 batters and issued just 3 walks last season, leading qualified MLB relievers with a 16.67 SO/BB figure. He registered a 2.16 ERA (23 ER/95.2 IP) across 100 appearances in his two seasons with the Red Sox (2023-24), ranking 2nd among MLB relievers in that span to Cleveland¡¯s Emmanuel Clase (1.90).

This marks Martin¡¯s second career stint with the Rangers, as he posted a 3.84 ERA (34 ER/79.2 IP) with 80 strikeouts in 84 games with Texas from 2018-2019. He has accumulated a 16-18 record with a 3.38 ERA (130 ER/346.2 IP), 14 saves, and 357 strikeouts in 369 career MLB appearances (all relief) with Colorado (2014), New York-AL (2015), Texas (2018-2019), Atlanta (2019-2021), Chicago-NL (2022), Los Angeles-NL (2022), and Boston (2023-24). Since 2018, Martin paces qualified relievers in both BB/9 (1.02) and SO/BB (9.29), logging a 1.07 WHIP during that stretch.

An Arlington, Tex. native, Martin was originally drafted by Detroit in the 18th round of the 2004 MLB Draft out of Arlington H.S. but did not sign, electing to attend McLennan (Tex.) Community College. He was also selected by Colorado in the 21st round of the 2005 MLB Draft but chose to return to McLennan. After a three-year hiatus from baseball from 2007-09 and a one-year stint in the independent American Association in 2010, Martin signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox in 2011 and went on to make his MLB debut with the Rockies on April 26, 2014.

Festa, 31, pitched for the San Diego, New York-NL, and Texas organizations in 2024, recording a 5.70 ERA (15 ER/23.2 IP) across 19 MLB relief appearances for the Mets (one game) and Rangers (18 games). The right-hander has gone 8-3 with a 4.60 ERA (60 ER/117.1 IP) in 108 career MLB appearances (one start) for Seattle (2018-19, 2022-23), New York-NL (2024), and Texas (2024). A Brooklyn, N.Y. native, Festa was originally selected by the Mariners in the 7th round of the 2016 MLB Draft from East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University.

With tonight¡¯s transactions, the Rangers remain at the 40-man limit on the club¡¯s Major League roster.

RHP White traded to Cincinnati for cash considerations: The Rangers have also traded right-handed pitcher Owen White to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations.

White was designated for assignment by Texas when the club signed left-handed pitcher Hoby Milner on December 20. The 25-year-old made five relief appearances with the Rangers in 2023-24, his only Major League action to date, after being selected by Texas in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Carson (N.C.) H.S.