Unable to reach deal, Colby Lewis moves on from Rangers

Colby Lewis bid farewell to the Texas Rangers organization and the team’s fans Tuesday in a statement that coincided with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.

The Rangers and Lewis were never able to come to an agreement during the off-season. Lewis was seeking a major-league contract, and the Rangers were willing to offer the right-hander only a minor-league deal with a camp invite.

He continues to seek a big-league contract and is willing to sign with another club under the right circumstances. If nothing materializes, he is likely to retire.

“Saying goodbye after all this time seems an impossible task,” Lewis said. “I’m filled with so many emotions. Texas has turned into our second home, and the people we have met over our 10 seasons here have turned from friends to family.

“But goodbyes are inevitable, and this is mine.”

Lewis, 37, was originally drafted by the Rangers in 1999 and made his big-league debut with them in 2002. He pitched parts of the next two seasons with the Rangers, who lost him in 2004 on a waiver claim.

He bounced around the next three seasons before heading to Japan in 2008. His career was reborn with the Hiroshima Carp, and the Rangers signed him in 2010 to be in their rotation.

Lewis had been a Rangers staple since, despite elbow, hip and knee injuries. He helped lead them to the World Series in 2010 and 2011 and to the postseason in 2012 and the past two seasons.

He went 65-57 with a 4.27 ERA in his second Rangers stint and 4-1 with a 3.11 ERA in the playoffs.

This story was originally published February 14, 2017 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Unable to reach deal, Colby Lewis moves on from Rangers."