Rangers mulling fifth-starter options

ARLINGTON — The Rangers signed free-agent starting pitcher Andrew Cashner to a one-year contract this week, but general manager Jon Daniels said that does not close the door on re-signing either Colby Lewis or Derek Holland.

“We are still in the market for starting pitching, and they are both starting pitchers,” said Daniels, who has been in contact with the agents of both players.

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As of now, the Rangers have a rotation that includes left-handers Cole Hamels and Martin Perez, right-hander Yu Darvish and Cashner. The fifth spot is still to be determined.

Lewis and Holland are among the free-agent possibilities. So is Edinson Volquez, and the Rangers are still discussing trades with other clubs, most notably the White Sox for left-hander Chris Sale.

The Rangers also have several candidates from within, beginning with right-hander A.J. Griffin. He is fifth on the Rangers’ depth chart.

Griffin went 7-4 with a 5.07 ERA in 23 starts for the Rangers in 2016, his first season in the Major Leagues since ’13 with the A’s. He missed all of ’14-15 while recovering from Tommy John surgery after going 21-11 with a 3.60 ERA in 47 starts from ’12-13.

Griffin won a spot in the rotation last spring, and he posted a 3-0 record with a 2.94 ERA through six starts before missing six weeks with shoulder inflammation. Texas activated him on June 25, and he was 4-4 with a 5.91 ERA in his last 17 starts.

“A.J. did a great job for us last year,” Daniels said. “The big thing with A.J. is the ability to go wire to wire. He hadn’t pitched in two years after having the surgery. He was really an effective …

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