Dane Dunning DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Round Rock. The Rangers placed Dunning on waivers earlier this week and will begin his 2025 campaign at the top level of the minor leagues. Dunning was competing for a spot in the starting rotation but ultimately fell short. During spring training, the 30-year-old struggled as he served up a high 8.18 ERA with a 1.91 WHIP across 11 innings of work. He held a 4:14 BB:K and allowed four long balls. Last season, Dunning appeared in 26 games (15 starts) and logged 95 innings to the tune of a 5.31 ERA with a 1.44 WHIP. He tallied 91 punchouts and allowed walks at a high 9.5 percent rate. In addition, Dunning also generated a high 45.8 percent hard-hit rate. With Dunning starting the season in Triple-A, Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter will have a spot in the rotation.

The Texas Rangers placed pitcher Dane Dunning on outright waivers on Sunday. If the 30-year-old is not claimed by another team, Texas can outrightthe former first-round draft pick to the minors. The righty pitched well for the 2023 World Series champion squad, posting a 3.70 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 172 2/3 innings pitched, but that season looks more like an outlier compared to career marks. Last season, Dunning worked as both a starter and reliever, registering a 5.31 ERA (4.31 SIERA), 1.44 WHIP, and a 12.1 percent K-BB% over 95 IP. If he is picked up by another team, he has the potential to be a solid innings-eater, however, the ERA, WHIP, and sub-9.00 K/9 don't make him very appealing for fantasy.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Texas Rangers and right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning have agreed to a $2.66 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. Dunning battled injuries this past summer and logged just 95 innings of work and held a mere 5.31 ERA and 1.44 WHIP. His 95 innings were his lowest total since his debut season in 2020. Under the hood, Dunning generated a rough 45.8% hard-hit rate, 10.9% barrel rate, and 90.4 mph average exit velocity, which were all significantly below the average marks. Given this contract agreement, fantasy managers should expect Dunning to compete for a spot in the Opening Day rotation. If he earns a spot, he could be worth a late flier in deep AL-only formats, as he held a modest 3.70 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 2023.