With a $5 million, one-year deal, former Texas Rangers left-handed reliever Will Smith is returning to the Kansas City Royals. According to reports, Smith became the first athlete to win three straight World Series titles with three different clubs this postseason. The Rangers overcame the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games to win their first franchise championship. Since making his Royals debut in 2012, Smith has played for a number of organizations, including the Houston Astros, Dallas, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, and Texas.

With the Rangers the previous season, Smith recorded a career-high 22 saves before going through a difficult stretch toward the conclusion of the campaign that cost him his closer position before the postseason. After 57 1/3 innings, he finished the season with a 4.40 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and a 55:17 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Smith pitched 3 1/3 innings in five postseason games, giving up four runs on three hits and striking out four batters, all while sporting a 10.80 ERA.

Following the one-year signing of former Braves pitcher Kirby Yates, Texas seemed content to allow Smith to walk in free agency. After bouncing back from two consecutive season-ending injuries, Yates played well in Atlanta, posting the highest ERA of any Rangers reliever at 3.28.

The Arlington bullpen has to get better because the Rangers converted only 47.7 percent (30 out of 63) of their save opportunities last season and had the 24th-highest bullpen ERA (4.77 average). During the Winter Meetings, Rangers general manager Chris Young stated that improving the bullpen was a top goal and that work was being made. The only player the franchise has signed this offseason is Kirby Yates.