Kelenic, Joe Ross and Chris Paddack clear waivers, elect free agency after Rangers DFAs

The Texas Rangers have lost three players to free agency in a short span after Jarred Kelenic and right-handers Joe Ross and Chris Paddack cleared waivers, each rejecting an outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock. Per the club announcement reported by MLB Trade Rumors, all three elected free agency instead of staying in the organization on a waiver-out assignment.

The move is the latest chapter in the Rangers’ midseason roster management. In late June, Texas designated Kelenic and Ross for assignment, a report the organization wanted to open space and keep its major-league roles aligned with current needs. Once a player clears waivers, the decision becomes whether to accept the assignment to the minors, which would keep him in the system, or reject it and become a free agent.

For Kelenic, the waiver outcome underscores how difficult it has been to translate former-prospect value into consistent MLB production. Once considered one of baseball’s top talents after being drafted sixth overall by the Mets in 2018, Kelenic later landed in Seattle as part of the Edwin Díaz trade. The Mariners moved him again in the 2023-24 offseason, and he has since played for multiple teams including, most recently, the White Sox and Rangers.

This season, MLB Trade Rumors reported that Kelenic struggled in limited action after joining Texas, with just 10 plate appearances in that stint and one hit in eight official at-bats. Across the year to date, the report put him at a.213/.304/.295 batting line. Over his six-season major-league career entering late June, he has posted a.211/.283/.372 line over 1,557 plate appearances.

Ross, 33, represents a more familiar type of MLB flier for contenders and back-of-the-bullpen depth searches. MLB Trade Rumors reported he made five relief appearances for Texas, totaling eight innings, and allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Even when a veteran reliever clears waivers, his free-agent destination usually hinges on whether teams believe they can correct specific command or pitch-shape issues rather than adding innings immediately.

As for Paddack, the same report group described him among the three players who cleared waivers and chose free agency. While the available text did not provide the same granular stat line for him, his election similarly means he will look for a new opportunity rather than continuing under an organization that designated him and then moved him through the waiver process.

In the big picture, the Rangers’ choices remove three controllable roster options from their immediate player pool, while giving them a clearer path to deploying the active additions they prefer at the big-league level. For Kelenic and the two pitchers, free agency becomes the reset button, a chance to find a clearer role, whether that is a bench job for an outfielder who can win playing time through matchups, or a bullpen spot for a right-hander who can earn late-inning trust. The next step to watch is where they land, since that will determine how quickly they can re-enter meaningful games and what specific role each team is willing to bet on.

Key facts on the transactions were reported by MLB Trade Rumors, based on the Rangers’ waiver outcomes and the players’ decisions following those assignments.