ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers agreed to one-year contracts for right-handed pitchers Dane Dunning and Josh Sborz ahead of Friday night's tender deadline, leaving them with three players still eligible for salary arbitration.
Dunning got a $2.66 million deal that includes $985,000 in performance bonuses for innings in 2025, down from his $3,325,000 salary this season when he was on the injured list twice with right shoulder issues. He would earn $50,000 each for reaching 30, 40, 50 and 60 innings, $75,000 apiece for 70, 80 and 90, and $80,000 for 100, 105, 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150.
Sborz, who had right shoulder surgery this month, got $1.1 million with $250,000 in bonuses for innings after making $1,025,000 this year. He would earn $25,000 for five innings, $50,000 for 10, $75,000 for 15 and $100,000 for 20.
Texas tendered 2025 contract offers to all 27 eligible players on its big league roster. That included first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, switch-hitting catcher Jonah Heim and center fielder Leody Taveras, who are all eligible for salary arbitration.
After getting the final seven outs in the World Series championship-clinching victory at Arizona in Game 5 in 2023, Sborz missed 107 games this year while on the injured list four times for right shoulder issues.
The Rangers revealed Friday that Sborz had a debridement procedure performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on November 13. The team said there is a reasonable expectation Sborz can return to game action in the first half of the 2025 season.
Sborz pitched only 16 1/3 innings in 17 appearances this year. He was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA.
Dunning missed 29 games during his IL stints, and was demoted to Triple-A Round Rock at one point during the season. While with the Rangers, he went 5-7 with a 5.31 ERA in 26 games (15 starts) while splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen like he also did during the World Series season.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
FILE - Texas Rangers starting pitcher Dane Dunning throws to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning of a baseball game, Aug. 19, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
FILE - Texas Rangers relief pitcher Josh Sborz throws to the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
Travel can be stressful in the best of times. Now add in the high-level anxiety that seems to be baked into every holiday season and it's clear that travelers could use some help calming frazzled nerves.
Travel pros say there is plenty you can do ahead of time to make for a happier and less-stressful holiday journey.
A week before you leave, write down things you need to bring and tasks you need to do before the trip.
“This can include essential packing items, as well as simple tasks like cleaning out old food from the fridge or watering the plants,” says Jess Feldman, special projects editor at Travel and Leisure magazine. “The key is to leave the list out for the entire week before you go. I cross the to-dos off throughout the week, and it helps me feel extremely prepared, lessening the stress every time.”
Noise-canceling headphones can go a long way toward blocking out annoyances during travel, although if you use them you should keep an eye on display boards or your phone for any flight or gate changes.
Spotify, YouTube and other sites offer music playlists with names like “Relaxing Chill Out Calming Music for Airports” and “Perfect — Music Travel Relax." Or try “Music for Airports,” a groundbreaking album that launched the ambient music genre in 1978.
It’s also good to carry extra medications, a change of clothes, a toothbrush and a phone-charging cable, just in case.
Bringing along some snacks or a sandwich from home can feel comforting and be a great alternative to pricey airport offerings.
“I tend to pack for worst-case scenarios, such as flight delays and cancellations. This includes bringing things to do of course, like more than one book, knitting materials, or a few extra downloaded movies,” Feldman says. For longer journeys, she might bring a meal in a Tupperware container.
To counter the dry air on flights, bring along an empty water bottle (fill it after you go through security ) and a small pouch with lip balm and travel-size moisturizers.
Hallie Gould, editor in chief of Byrdie, a digital site for beauty care, recommends “loading up on skin hydration before your flight. That means drinking extra fluids and applying moisturizing skin products to boost hydration, so you’re covering your bases inside and out.”
And don’t forget your hair.
“Just as the low humidity on the airplane is dehydrating for your skin, it can also dry out your hair. If possible, use a deep conditioner before your trip,” Gould says.
“Every airline has different requirements when it comes to the boarding process, paying for perks in advance, or seat upgrades,” Feldman says. “It’s best to understand all of the above before getting to the airport so that you are not taken off guard.”
Having the airline's app lets you know about gate changes, flight delays or cancellations sooner and allows you to more quickly find alternative flights or connections if needed.
Security lines can be much longer — and slower — than expected, and so can the walk through a large airport. So giving yourself plenty of extra time can reduce stress. The general rule of thumb is to arrive at the airport two hours before departure for domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
If you’re too early, you can always explore the airport shops and lounges or settle in with a good book somewhere.
“I always confirm whether or not there is a lounge I have access to in my departing gate ahead of time,” Feldman says. But even without lounge access, she says, "I like to know what the restaurants and waiting areas (near) the gate are like.”
“If you have a sense of why you are feeling stressed, it can help to figure out ways to reduce that stress," says Lynn F. Bufka, head of practice for the American Psychological Association. "So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, are there things that you can outsource? Is there someone in your family who can help with parts of the planning?”
Recognize that crowds, bad weather and canceled flights are beyond your control.
And some people just don't like to travel far or to fly.
“If it’s fear, like fear of flying, it’s important to know that it can be treated, and that treatment can really improve the quality of your life,” Bufka says.
A little extra time tidying your home and making sure you have some easy-to-prepare food ready in the freezer or pantry will make for a much more welcoming return.
“Always, always, always clean your space before leaving for a trip. You are inevitably going to feel a bit off after a long travel day, and coming home to an unorganized space will make it so much worse,” Feldman says.
Wash the sheets, take out out the trash, put away clothes, clean the countertops. “Arriving home to a neat and tidy space is the best homecoming, especially after a long time away,” she says.
AP Business Writer Dee-Ann Durbin contributed to this report from Detroit.
For more AP Lifestyles stories, go to https://apnews.com/lifestyle.
Yuji Kono watches as a Lufthansa staff member carefully wraps his banjo to be checked on a flight to Munich at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on March 1, 2024. (Katherine Roth via AP)
FILE - Travelers line up for security clearance at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on June 28, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
FILE - Travelers walk through the concourse at Miami International Airport on May 23, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
