Claudio threw 1.1 scoreless innings, striking out one, and picked up his first hold in Friday's 5-1 win over the Astros.

EDGE Analysis

The Rangers' bullpen, much maligned in 2017, delivered in the game's highest-leverage moment. Houston loaded the bases in the sixth with one out, but right-hander Chris Martin followed by Claudio each fanned a batter to preserve the lead. Claudio finished last year as the Rangers' closer, but manager Jeff Banister wants to reserve Claudio for moments exactly like the one he succeeded in Friday. The left-hander may get some save opportunities during the season, but most of his work will come between the sixth and eighth innings.

Claudio isn't expected to be in the mix for saves to begin the season with manager Jeff Banister indicating that Keone Kela is the team's preferred ninth-inning option, with Kevin Jepsen next in line after Kela, Levi Weaver of The Athletic Dallas reports.

EDGE Analysis

Claudio served as the Rangers' primary end gamer during the second half last season and finished with a 2.50 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 11 saves across 82.2 innings, but his lack of strikeout stuff and left-handedness almost made him a dubious long-term answer at the back of the bullpen. He's still expected to fill a key role in relief and could often be called upon to record three-plus outs in high-leverage spots, but most of Claudio's fantasy value will fall by the wayside with Banister prepared to turn to Kela in the majority of save situations. Armed with a mid-to-high-90s fastball and with proven success against hitters from both sides of the plate, Kela has the skill set to build up security in the closing role quickly. It's thus difficult to imagine Claudio reentering the picture for saves, especially since he's no better than third in line with Jepsen, another hard-throwing right-hander, representing the clear top alternative to Kela at this juncture.

Claudio, who ended the 2017 season as Texas' closer, may not resume that role this season, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. "He is so much more valuable than just waiting for a save opportunity," manager Jeff Banister said. "Save opportunities don't show up every night. I'll go back, we pined over closing out games last year, and early on, it was not the ninth inning that was the issue. It was getting to the ninth. We've got to close innings out, period."

EDGE Analysis

It should be noted that Claudio is not out of the running to close games, but obviously Banister feels he can be more valuable to the team pitching multiple innings and high-leverage situations that pop up earlier than the ninth inning. If Claudio does not reprise the closer's role, then who does? The first names on the list are Jake Diekman and Keone Kela, with Tim Lincecum's name being floated.

Claudio, who was initially scratched from Sunday's game against the Angels, recovered in time to pitch the seventh inning. He allowed two runs on three hits and struck out one.

EDGE Analysis

Claudio had been pretty clean up until Sunday's outing and could retain the closer's role he assumed over the second half of 2017. Manager Jeff Banister hasn't named a closer yet, but Claudio figures to be part of the game-finishing solution along with Keone Kela and Jake Diekman.

Claudio isn't available for Sunday's Cactus League game against the Angels due to an illness, Levi Weaver of The Athletic Dallas reports.

EDGE Analysis

The illness is only expected to be a short-term setback for Claudio, who hasn't done anything this spring to jeopardize his chances of losing out on the closer's role. He has tossed five scoreless, no-hit frames for the Rangers in Cactus League play and has remarkably thrown 24 of 25 pitches for strikes.

Claudio pitched a clean inning in Thursday's game against the Brewers.

EDGE Analysis

Claudio, who has not allowed a hit in five spring innings, continues to defy the radar gun. He manages to confound hitters with a fastball clocked in the mid-80s and the slowest changeup in the majors last year, per T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. That changeup was a terrific out pitch for him in 2017, as batters were 18-for-111 (.162) off it, and he recorded 35 of his 56 outs using the change. Claudio doesn't have typical closer stuff, but he's getting outs, which is job No. 1 for a ninth-inning guy, and is making a strong case for the closer's job based on his spring numbers.

Claudio might be more valuable as a multi-inning reliever than as a closer, Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Rangers' closer job is wide open, but Claudio is the clear leader based on his performance last season when he took over the reins as game-finisher. "There are opportunities for him to come in any inning and help preserve a win for us," manager Jeff Banister said. Banister isn't tipping his hand yet and will continue to evaluate which reliever he feels is best at getting outs at the back end of a game. For now, Claudio is in the mix along with Keone Kela (shoulder) and Jake Diekman, who saved one game last season. Kela may have the most prototypical stuff to close games, but his injury history is a concern.

Claudio is expected to compete with Jake Diekman and Keone Kela for the Rangers' closing role during spring training, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

The competitors for the ninth-inning opening received some good news Saturday after former Cardinals closer Seung Hwan Oh's signing with the Rangers was nixed due to a failed physical. Even if Oh had joined the fray, Claudio would still be considered the favorite for the closing gig after thriving in the role during the second half of the past season. Though Claudio is hardly the prototypical end gamer in light of his left-handness and mid-to-upper-80s heat, he showed effectiveness against hitters from both sides of the plate and rode a 66.7 percent groundball rate to a 2.50 ERA and 11 saves over 82.2 innings last season.

Claudio worked around one hit and struck out two batters to turn in a scoreless ninth inning and claim the save in the Rangers' 5-3 win over the Athletics on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

The Rangers have netted Claudio only 12 save chances since he took over as the team's primary closer in early July, with the southpaw converting 10 of them. Though he's had a strong season with a 2.50 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 82.2 innings, Claudio's lack of premium heat -- his fastball usually sits in the mid-to-upper 80s -- and dearth of strikeouts may not make the Rangers comfortable proceeding with him as their closer in 2018. It will be worthwhile to track the Rangers' offseason moves to address their bullpen in order to get a better read on where Claudio fits in entering spring training.

Claudio gave up a hit and struck out one over two scoreless innings Wednesday to record his 10th save of the season in an 8-6 win over the Mariners.

EDGE Analysis

After the Rangers exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning it didn't look like Claudio's services would be needed, but after Matt Bush failed to record an out to begin the eighth, manager Jeff Banister elected to take no chances and turned to his closer. The lefty likely won't be available Thursday, but expect him to see heavy use down stretch as the club tries to close the gap on the Twins for the final wild-card spot in the AL.