Rangers Send Pederson, Higashioka and Junis to Free Agency as Options Bought Out

The Texas Rangers resolved all three of their mutual options on Friday night, sending designated hitter Joc Pederson, catcher Kyle Higashioka and reliever Jakob Junis to free agency. ESPN's Jesse Rogers first reported that Pederson had passed on his end of an $18.5 million option, and the Dallas Morning News' Shawn McFarland reported that the other two options were also bought out. Higashioka will receive a $1 million buyout in lieu of a $7 million salary, while Junis is paid a $1.25 million buyout on a $5 million option, ending his time with the club. Higashioka closes out a two-year, $13.5 million free-agent deal. The moves are the latest in a busy opening week of the offseason, with option decisions across the league reshaping rosters ahead of the November 2 start of free agency and a looming December 1 expiry of the collective bargaining agreement. For the Rangers, the decisions clear salary and roster space, but leave them with catching and bullpen holes to fill in a market that is only just taking shape.