José Leclerc Fantasy Stats

Athletics right-handed reliever Jose Leclerc (lat) is playing catch three times a week, but the team expects a "long recovery process" before he returns to action, according to MLB.com. Leclerc was placed on the 60-day injured list on April 23 with a right-lat strain and isn't expected to return to the team until the second half of the season. Before he went down with injury, the 31-year-old veteran struggled in a late-inning setup role in his first year with the team, holding a 6.00 ERA and 2.00 WHIP with eight strikeouts and five walks in just nine innings pitched out of the bullpen. Leclerc racked up 41 saves in his first eight major-league seasons with the Texas Rangers before joining the A's this season, so he should at least be a setup option again in Sacramento when he returns after the All-Star break.

Free-agent right-hander reliever Jose Leclerc and the Athletics agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal on Friday, according to sources. Leclerc will stay in the American League West after playing the first eight years of his MLB career with the Texas Rangers. The 31-year-old struggled to a 4.32 ERA (3.48 FIP) in 66 2/3 relief innings and only had one save with Texas in 2024, but he did have a strikeout rate over 30 percent, and his 3.48 FIP shows he was a bit unlucky. In addition to generating plenty of swings and misses, Leclerc can be wild on the mound, which makes him a volatile fantasy option as a high-leverage arm. He began last year as the Rangers closer but was quickly demoted after giving up runs in four of his first five appearances. The A's already have Mason Miller locked into their closer role, but Leclerc should be the eighth-inning setup man and could be quite useful in leagues that reward holds.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jose Leclerc will be working low-leverage situations temporarily, per manager Bruce Bochy. The Rangers were pleased with Leclerc's outing during Friday's 12-8 win over the division-rival Houston Astros after the right-hander struck out two batters, but it was an extremely low-leverage spot against the seventh, eighth, and ninth hitters with Texas up 12-3 in the sixth inning. It's bad news for fantasy managers hoping to get saves out of Leclerc, who holds a dismal 12.00 ERA and 2.33 WHIP with one blown save over six frames. The 30-year-old is not an instant drop candidate in fantasy, as he could work his way back into the ninth-inning mix with improved play, but David Robertson and Kirby Yates both have plenty of closing experience. Robertson, only rostered in 43% of Yahoo leagues, has given up just one run over 8 1/3 innings and should be added across all formats until this situation is settled.

Texas Rangers right-handed reliever Jose Leclerc blew the save against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday when he gave up a two-run home run to catcher Shea Langeliers, his third home run of the game. Leclerc has now allowed at least one run in four of his first five outings so far this year. "He's healthy, he's fine," manager Bruce Bochy said. Texas' bullpen was a glaring weakness last year despite winning the World Series, but the skipper isn't panicking just yet in 2024. "These guys, with what they've done, no, I don't have concern. You stay behind them. They're human, they're gonna make some mistakes. That's a part of the game, but no. Now, it's too early to be concerned." Leclerc remains the team's closer for now, but he's on the hot seat early on and could be replaced by David Robertson or Kirby Yates if his early season struggles persist.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jose Leclerc got demolished on Sunday, leading to a 9-5 loss at the hands of the Chicago Cubs. Leclerc entered into a 5-5 game in the ninth, but things unraveled for him quickly. He walked three and allowed a hit before being pulled. All four of those runners ended up scoring, making for an ugly final line. Leclerc has now given up five runs and walked five in 1 IP this year. If he continues to struggle, the Rangers could opt to go with David Robertson as their closer or use a committee. It might not take many more bad appearances, so Leclerc owners should be looking for backup options in case the struggles continue.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jose Leclerc has a strong possibility of opening the regular season as the team's closer, according to manager Bruce Bochy. The 30-year-old ended last season as the closer and appears in a good spot to keep that role. Last season, Leclerc finished with a 2.68 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, and 67 strikeouts in 57 games with the Rangers. It's worth noting that veteran right-hander David Robertson could be in the mix as well. However, Leclerc looks locked in for a majority of the save chances in Texas right now. He should be at least a top-20 closing option heading into the regular season.

Texas Rangers reliever Jose Leclerc tossed his second straight solid outing Friday versus the Kansas City Royals. The right-hander tossed a scoreless, hitless inning with two strikeouts, tossing his second straight scoreless frame in the process. Leclerc allowed two earned runs on three hits, including a homer, in just 1/3 of an inning in his spring debut on Feb. 29 but has bounced back nicely since. The 30-year-old was excellent for the second straight season in 2023, tossing a 2.68 ERA in 57 outings but he also walked 12% of the hitters he faced. He is the projected Rangers closer to open the season following the offseason departure of Will Smith. However, he won't have a long leash as the club added David Robertson this offseason while Josh Sborz and Kirby Yates could also be in the mix if Leclerc struggles out of the gate. He is a worthwhile investment with a 195.3 ADP but he is far from a sure thing.

The Texas Rangers exercised right-handed reliever Jose Leclerc's $6.25 million option for the 2024 season. Although he had just four saves during the regular season, Leclerc was a vital late-inning bullpen piece that helped the Rangers win their first-ever World Series title this fall over the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games. In his seventh big-league season, he had a strong 2.68 ERA (3.62 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, 28 walks and 67 strikeouts in 57 innings in relief during the regular season. The 29-year-old allowed five earned runs on nine hits (three home runs) while walking six and striking out 14 in 13 2/3 relief innings in the postseason, securing four saves and a hold. Given his dominance in the late innings for Texas in recent seasons, he should be in line for more saves at the back end of their bullpen again in 2024.

Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher Jose Leclerc picked up his fourth save Sunday in a 9-8 win over the Seattle Mariners. Leclerc allowed a hit, but struck out two and didn't allow a run in his inning of work. The 29-year-old has been a big part of the Rangers bullpen late in the season, notching three saves and five holds since August 24. Although Aroldis Chapman appears to be the favorite for saves still, Leclerc could get some opportunities when the lineup they are facing is righty-heavy. He is a potential save source in deeper leagues for the final week of the season.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jose Leclerc picked up his third save of the season in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Red Sox. Leclerc came in to pitch the top of the ninth up by two and delivered a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. Six different relievers have seen save opportunities for the Rangers in September and Leclerc has led the way with three. He has only converted one of them but has done so with a 3.38 ERA. Walks are still an issue for the 29-year-old, but he has pitched well overall with a 2.98 ERA and 10.17 K/9 rate this season. It looks like Leclerc may be the frontrunner for save opportunities to finish out the season for the Rangers, making him worth a roster spot in at least all roto leagues.