The 32-year-old right-hander had an opt-out clause in his minor league deal that he planned to exercise. The Rangers would like to bring him back — preferably on another minor league pact — but Houser is now free to peddle his wares on the open market. He made nine appearances (eight starts) at Triple-A Round Rock, registering a 5.03 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 37/15 K/BB ratio across 39 1/3 innings.

On the plus side, Houser did rack up six strikeouts on the evening while allowing only one base on balls. Against what will presumably be the Padres’ Opening Day lineup, Houser gave up four runs in the second inning — keyed by a bases-clearing three-run triple off the bat of Jason Heyward. Houser got 10 swings and misses on 66 pitches on the night, posting a strong CSW of 35 percent. He’ll open the season as additional rotation depth for the Rangers, most likely at the Triple-A level.

Houser averaged 95.1 mph with his fastball today, which is territory he’s rarely seen since 2022. He’s only in Rangers camp on a minor league deal, but he might be a nice fit in middle relief if he holds on to these gains.

2025 is an odd year, so Houser is due to be serviceable, as he was for the Brewers in 2019 (3.72 ERA in 111 IP), 2021 (3.22 ERA in 142 1/3 IP) and 2023 (4.12 ERA in 111 IP). The even years, on the other hand, have been a mess, which is why he wasn’t able to land a major league contract this winter. The Mets released him after he posted a 5.84 ERA in seven starts and 16 relief appearances last season, and though he later pitched in the Cubs and Orioles organizations, he didn’t return to the majors.