Rangers didn’t want to keep Chirinos. Now, he’s nearing a deal with their fiercest rival

Robinson Chirinos, cast aside by the Texas Rangers last month, reportedly is on the verge of joining the Rangers’ No. 1 rival.

The intrepid Ken Rosenthal is reported that Chirinos and the Houston Astros are well down the path on a contract, and that all that stands between Chirinos and joining the Astros is a physical.

The Rangers declined to pick up the option on Chirinos’ contract for 2019. Because of incentives, the value of the contract had neared $4 million, and the Rangers decided they would rather spend that on a defensive upgrade.

And they did, signing veteran Jeff Mathis two a two-year deal worth $6.25 million. Mathis is one of the top defensive catchers in the game, but his offense is an issue with a .198 average and 48 homers in 14 seasons.

Chirinos, meanwhile, has 35 homers the past two seasons, 68 in his career, and has a .233 lifetime average. He started more than 100 games for the first time in his career in 2018.

The Astros are in the market for a catcher after Brian McCann left for the Atlanta Braves. Martin Maldonado, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels, is a free agent.

The only catchers on the Astros’ 40-man roster are Max Stassi and minor-leaguer Garrett Stubbs, who was added last month to avoid exposure to the Rule 5 draft.