The Rangers have tried to sign Yusei Kikuchi once before.
They will try again.
The 27-year-old Japanese left-hander was officially posted by the Seibu Lions on Tuesday, making him eligible to sign with any major league team. The Rangers once took Derek Holland with them in order to make a recruiting pitch to the then 18-year-old Kikuchi; a source confirmed they will have interest again this time around.
In 2009, as the Rangers were making a big push into Pacific Rim scouting, they tried to sign Kikuchi ahead of the Japanese amateur draft, reportedly offering him a $7 million bonus.