Per Jeff Wilson, the Texas Rangers have signed former Cubs ace Mark Prior. Wilson says that the move is for the longterm and not for 2010. Even if Prior were added to the Rangers roster tomorrow, he'd be ineligible for the playoffs.
Prior last pitched in the majors in 2006 with the Chicago Cubs when he threw only 43.2 innings and posted a 1-6 record with a 7.21 ERA. His best season as a professional came in 2003 when he brought the Cubs to the brink of the World Series. Prior went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA while striking out 245 in 211.1 IP.
Ever since then, Prior has been riddled by injury. He missed two months at the beginning of the 2004 season with an Achilles tendon injury. In 2005 he suffered two elbow injuries: a strain in spring training and then later took a line drive off his elbow as well.
2006 was the beginning of the end for Prior as he strained his shoulder begin the season and later was shut down for the season with a shoulder issue. He would undergo surgery in 2007 for his shoulder and miss the entire season before undergoing another shoulder surgery in 2008 for a tear in the capsule of his pitching shoulder.
Prior most recently had been pitching in relief in the independent Golden Baseball League with the Orange County Fliers. He'll look to make the Rangers roster at some point in 2010.