Former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers relief pitcher Chris Martin remains an unsigned free agent as the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season enters its final weeks. The veteran right-hander was released by Texas following a difficult pitching stretch in Arlington.
Martin struggled to find consistency out of the Rangers bullpen during his 11th major league season. Across 16 relief appearances for Texas this year, he recorded a 1-1 record alongside a 9.00 ERA, prompting the franchise to make a roster adjustment. MLB.com officially documented the transaction in early August, reporting: “Texas Rangers released RHP Chris Martin.” The decision ended his tenure with the team as front offices finalized bullpen options.
He remains available on the open market. But finding a roster spot this late in the year is difficult.
Originally selected in the 21st round of the 2005 MLB Draft, Martin made his major league debut with the Colorado Rockies during the 2014 campaign. Traded to New York prior to the 2015 season, he pitched in 24 games for the Yankees, posting an 0-2 record with a 5.66 ERA while sharing a clubhouse with veteran stars such as Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and CC Sabathia. Throughout his 11 seasons at the highest level, the right-handed reliever has built a career record of 19-25 with a 3.53 ERA across 434 pitching appearances.
His career path includes stints with seven major league organizations, having also pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and the Atlanta Braves, where he won a World Series championship in 2021. As major league teams settle their pitching rotations and bullpen roles for the postseason race, Martin offers extensive experience. However, with time running out before the regular season concludes, potential landing spots for the free-agent pitcher are becoming increasingly scarce across both the American and National Leagues.
